Ordinary World
by BugeishaKyasarin
Summary: When the waves of destiny finally come rushing toward you, do you fight their pull and cling to shore, or do you allow them to carry you into the sea of fate? A modern-day Sailor Moon story. Arc four of Celestial Warriors.
1. Use Somebody

**Chapter One: Use Somebody**

Tsukino Usagi was not a morning person. Never in a million years would she wake up at the crack of dawn to go jogging along the waterfront with Makoto, no matter how many cute guys she claimed to pass every day. Saturday morning was sacred; Usagi stayed up late the night before getting all her homework done and _deserved_ to sleep in. She had seven hours of classes every day so she wanted to spend her weekends relaxing, not exercising.

Makoto told her best friend that eating so much without burning off the calories was going to make her fat. She'd been saying this since their second year of middle school but Usagi's metabolism hadn't gotten the memo. To that end, Makoto spited it by using her culinary skills to only make healthy food. Once she finished her jog and returned to the apartment overlooking Elliott Bay, she took a shower, dressed casually, and began concocting a batch of gourmet waffles for her roommates. She didn't have to wait long for their scent to summon someone. Michiru drifted into the kitchen, and although her dark, wavy hair was a tangled mess she still radiated elegance in silk pajamas. She went straight to the pot of coffee Makoto had already brewed, filling a mug reading "my violin gives me superpowers". Makoto set a plate of three waffles and a pitcher of maple syrup before the virtuoso, awaiting her verdict.

Michiru sighed after the first bite. "These are _divine_, Mako-chan. How do you do it?"

"It was just a simple scratch recipe of whole wheat flour, baking soda, honey, a banana, cinnamon and nutmeg, almond oil and vanilla bean."

She nodded in satisfaction as Makoto returned to the griddle to make many more waffles for Usagi, but even the smell of rich blackberry syrup didn't rouse the blonde. Once Michiru finished her breakfast she went into the bedroom her friends shared. Makoto's half was extremely neat and well-organized. Usagi's side of the room featured clean clothes strewn across floor and a bookshelf cluttered with manga, video games, and action figures. Cords belonging to four different Nintendo consoles snaked around her bed and there were empty containers from her midnight snacking tucked beneath it.

"Good morning, Usa-chan!" Michiru said cheerfully. Her amber eyes glittered with the hope that Usagi would wake peacefully, but she didn't even stir. The brunette then gently shook her shoulder. Again there was no movement and she pursed her lips. Usagi was in fact awake and smirking into her pillow as she pictured her friend's vexation. She was not expecting the pillow to suddenly be yanked out from beneath her head, which solicited a yelp. "Oh good, you're up," Michiru said sweetly before leaving.

"Breakfast is ready!" Makoto called. Usagi glanced at her clock; it read 10:07 and she groaned loudly before abandoning the warmth of her comforter. She shuffled to the kitchen, plopped into a chair, and opened her mouth widely. "I'm not going to _feed_ you," the cook said disdainfully. "You're supposed to be an adult."

"It's too early for motor skills," Usagi yawned. Michiru reached over to pinch her arm and she swatted at the manicured hand.

"It certainly looks like you're capable of using a fork." The morning dreariness fell off Michiru as soon as she finished her coffee, revealing the vigor in her eyes. "Thank you for breakfast, Mako-chan. I'll pick up something for dinner on my way home so you don't have to cook again."

"I vote for pizza!" Usagi shouted, suddenly perky. But her friends shook their heads and she pouted. Michiru then left the younger girls to their routine, retreating to her master suite. They ate in silence with occasional sighs of delight coming from Usagi, who downed six waffles to Makoto's two. "You're going to waste away if you keep working out so much and eating so little," the blonde said while gathering their dishes.

Makoto crossed her arms defensively. "It's only ten-thirty. If you're really so worried about me, I'll have a big lunch." Her countenance then softened. "What should we do today? We haven't ridden the Great Wheel yet, or the carousel at Westlake."

"Actually, I was thinking about giving this place some personality." Usagi moved her hands in a big arch to indicate the whole apartment. Since Michiru had moved to Seattle to attend Cornish College of the Arts, she'd been too busy with her job as a music tutor to really decorate. When Usagi and Makoto came to live with her in June they'd gotten jobs right away, but because they were now both students at the Art Institute their hours had been reduced and their weekends could be spent doing some serious shopping in the Emerald City.

Using the black leather furniture and moonlight-white walls as a blank canvas, Usagi and Makoto browsed galleries and antique stores looking for décor to make their apartment feel less like a doctor's office. They purchased cheap vintage furniture and quirky modern artwork that fit the bill, arranging for most of it to be delivered to the apartment on Monday since neither girl had a car.

While taking a break in Pioneer Square a poster caught Makoto's attention. "There's a horticulture fair at Bastyr University," she read aloud.

Usagi smiled, knowing her friend had an affinity for house plants. "Where's that? Should we check it out?"

"Ooh, they're also hosting a community lunch featuring local produce!" That definitely meant they were going. After consulting a map app they hopped on a bus to the University District, then transferred to another bus to Kenmore at the north end of Lake Washington. When they arrived at the beautifully wooded campus Makoto grew excited at the sight of the plants-only farmer's market.

"Now Mako-chan, don't—" Usagi didn't get the chance to finish before the bus doors opened and her best friend flew down the steps. "—go overboard…" she sighed, following less energetically. She perked up, however, upon realizing how many cute guys were wandering around, and flashed her signature flirty smile. She received a lot of double-takes since no one was accustomed to seeing a typical Japanese girl with such atypical true-blue eyes and corn silk hair.

At the opposite end of the fair, Makoto was in botanical heaven. She reaffirmed that she would return home with just two plants instead of enough to start her own nursery. Right away she fell in love with a bright red bromeliad in an attractive pot. The boy at the table locked eyes with her, summoning her with a megawatt smile. "How much?" Makoto asked.

"For you? Let me see…"

She wasn't about to let this random boy make a decision for her. In high school guys were always trying to tell her what to do, so she hadn't dated much. She was briefly involved with the young man who worked at her and Usagi's favorite arcade, which was nice because he was a mature university student, but they broke up because they both knew a long-distance relationship wouldn't work out.

Makoto opened her wallet and winced. She had just gotten paid on Friday and had plenty of cash, but there was nothing wrong with trying to make it last. "Does forty work?" the boy suggested.

That was already far less than the bromeliad's worth. Someone had obviously taken good care of it; its leaves were deep green without any evidence of rot and the flower itself was over a foot tall. Makoto considered guilting him down another ten dollars but her conscience overruled that notion. "Forty," she agreed, surrendering the bills. The planter pot matched the décor she and Usagi had chosen, too. What a score!

With one of her long arms wrapped around the bromeliad, Makoto carefully perused the rest of the fair. Most people stepped out of her way but there were a few kids running amok; luckily she was tall enough to hold her treasure above their heads. Eventually she spied a shelf of orchids in a dizzying array of varieties and colors, but she decided to contrast the bromeliad and only looked at cool-hued ones. She ended up choosing a violet moth orchid and a beautiful blue Vanda, which was quite rare. However, she quickly realized it was impossible to carry the large bromeliad and both orchids, so she moved all three plants to a vacant table and stared at them, perplexed. Where was Usagi when she could make herself useful?

"Pardon, do you want some help with those?"

She turned around to face a broad, muscular chest. The man's sculpted pecs strained against his purple t-shirt reading "Fear the Dawgs". Makoto, while considered Amazonian back home in Tokyo and tall for a woman in general, had to crane her neck to view his face. She saw he was around her age; not a man at all, just some _guy_. He had auburn hair, deep brown eyes, and smooth bronze skin that people who artificially tanned would never achieve. His square jaw was devoid of facial hair, but he probably looked quite handsome with a five o'clock shadow.

"Sure, thanks," Makoto answered after her assessment. "You can carry these orchids for me." The guy faltered for an instant and she smirked, knowing he had expected the heavier bromeliad. She was no fragile maiden, her outfit simply concealed her muscle tone.

"Where to?" the boy asked, holding the delicate flowers out of harm's way.

"I need to find my friend," Makoto said. "She's a short blonde wearing a pink sundress." As an afterthought she added, "Her name's Usagi."

He nodded and glanced from side to side while following her through the crowd. "And what's your name?"

"Makoto Kino," she replied.

"That's Japanese, right?" She grunted as a confirmation, not quite in the mood for small-talk. Thankfully the guy got the hint and trailed her in silence until they arrived at the main lawn. "I didn't see her," he said. "Did she go into the school?" Makoto _had_ made that comment about lunch… and Usagi had a black hole for a stomach. Before she could suggest they head inside he asked, "What's her last name?" After providing it he took in a great breath and bellowed, "PAGING USAGI TSUKINO!"

Within moments Usagi emerged from the perennial booths, cautiously approaching the giant boy standing beside her friend. "_There_ you are!" she said to Makoto, "I had no idea where you ran off to! Um, who's this?"

"Just an oke trying to help," he answered, grinning.

"I _love_ your accent!" Usagi exclaimed. "Where are you from?"

Makoto had noticed it, too. "Usa-chan, _we_ have accents. Don't be rude."

He shrugged. "It's all right. I'm from Johannesburg."

"Where's that?" The brunette rolled her eyes; her BFF was terrible at geography.

"South Africa. And my name's Nicholas." His hand completely enveloped Usagi's as they shook.

"Great, good, terrific," Makoto sighed. "It was nice meeting you, Nicholas, but we need to go. There's a bus we have to catch."

Usagi gave her friend a very specific look. It said: _"This guy's cute! I bet you have a lot in common! You should give him your number."_

Makoto's return look said: _"Hell no."_

Their silent conversation finished, Usagi narrowed her eyes and donned a small, devious smile. "So Nicholas, do you have a family name?"

"Meyer," he answered.

"Do you go to school around here?"

He glanced down at his shirt in astonishment. "You don't know the Dawgs, the Huskies? I go to UW."

She giggled airily. "Sorry, I should have realized! We're kind of new to the area."

"I see. Well, here comes your bus." Nicholas surrendered the orchids to Usagi and grinned amicably. "It was nice meeting you both. Enjoy the sun while you can, it's rare this time of year." The blonde nodded her thanks and watched him walk away. As soon as he was out of earshot, Makoto directed a scowl at her friend.

"What was all that for? I just needed him to hold my plants."

Usagi rolled her eyes as they boarded the bus. "You can be such an ice queen sometimes! You didn't even know his name until I came along!"

"You made everything _awkward_ when you came along. So what if he had an accent? What if he's self-conscious about it? Who cares where he's from or what school he goes to? We're never going to see him again."

Her last sentence was so pointed that Usagi knew it would be futile to keep discussing why Nicholas Meyer seemed like good boyfriend material. He was tall, he was muscular, he was ruggedly handsome, he likely played sports and he was totally selfless. Makoto hadn't even given him a chance to grow on her! But Usagi would give her another one. She knew his full name and that he went to the University of Washington. She could find him in the student directory, get his email address, and hopefully provide an opportunity for another interaction.

_'Some day Mako-chan will thank me for this!'_

* * *

Chiba Mamoru liked eating at Amabie. It was a sushi bar-café that served tea instead of coffee like most places in Seattle, and he always ordered green tea with honey while doing homework. One wall of the café was an aquarium full of tropical fish and the others were decorated with nautical items and classical Japanese artwork, including woodblock paintings. Beach glass mobiles and glass float balls hung from the ceiling like precious treasures in a sea cave, providing a serene environment. He had the misfortune of moving into an apartment complex with neighbors who liked to throw parties and blast annoying music every weekend.

Amabie was south of the U District in a neighborhood called Montlake. Mamoru discovered the eatery by accident after someone in his research group mentioned the Japanese garden in Washington Park and, desperate for some semblance of home, he went to check it out only to become rather lost. He ended up crossing an entire golf course and walked into the café to ask for directions, but had lunch before returning to campus. He'd been a regular ever since.

At 2:30 Mamoru was seated at his usual table and working on his dissertation when the bells on the door jingled. He surreptitiously admired the girl wearing a dark blue cook's uniform. She crafted the desserts in the cold case, miniature morsels that were works of art in their own right. Mamoru thought the girl looked more alluring than the edible pieces she created, deducing that she was only half Japanese. Her skin had pink undertones instead of beige, she had softly flowing golden brown hair, and her eyes were bright green in addition to lacking an epicanthic fold. She was also very tall, so Mamoru assumed that one of her parents were northern European.

Genetics were an important aspect of the program Mamoru studied at UW, and it helped that he'd been interested since childhood. He liked guessing the heritages of those around him, always observing in silence. Seattle offered a very diverse range of people to study yet allowed him to remain incognito. He didn't stand out at all but the dessert chef did, and every day he tried working up the courage to talk to her. He just didn't want to come off as creepy.

_"Forget about her and get back to work,"_ the logical part of his mind demanded. He obliged by continuing to research arguments for and against vaccinations, a tiresome subject. Everyone had opinions to support both sides; everyone claimed to have research that refuted the other. Researching research was sometimes a task of its own because studies were supported by statistics and statistics could be manipulated to produce certain results. So far he'd concluded that Asian and European studies had more trustworthy results than their American equivalents, where the FDA was biased towards certain companies and their products.

"Whatcha reading?" someone asked from beyond his shoulder. Mamoru jumped in surprise and rotated to find the upbeat redheaded waitress grinning at him. "Are you going to have something besides tea today?"

"I don't think so…" he answered, but reddened when his stomach rumbled in protest. The waitress laughed and held up her notepad expectantly while Mamoru skimmed the menu. "I'd like the number five combo and another pot of tea, please."

"Combo number five," the girl repeated. After putting in his order the kitchen staff shouted "mambo number five!" and the catchy song emanated from the speakers.

_'At least they know how to have fun.'_ Mamoru smiled ruefully to himself and resumed his research. Sometime later his food arrived and he ate absentmindedly, engrossed by an article claiming the H1N1 virus had been artificially engineered for population control. Then he caught someone in his peripheral vision and turned from his laptop. The dessert chef was walking by! Mamoru straightened and locked his eyes on her, following her to a booth across the room. She sat down opposite a girl with blonde, curled, shoulder-length hair. His gaze slipped to this other girl, tracing the clingy fabric of her blue dress down her narrow torso to equally slender legs beneath the table. He wondered if she was a model. Then, in slight disappointment, he wondered if she was the dessert chef's _girlfriend_.

He checked the time and balked. It was past six o'clock already! He hadn't left his seat in three hours! Mamoru stood up and was unable to restrain a groan as his joints unlocked. They were loud enough to draw the girls' attention, and he froze. The brunette wore an expression that clearly said it was his fault for being a workaholic while the blonde looked sympathetic. Mamoru went to the restroom before meandering outside for some fresh air. It was late September and dusk was just about to surrender to full night. He went back inside and was surprised to see the blonde girl sitting at his table. He approached cautiously.

"My friend says you're a regular here and thinks you need a study aid." She indicated that he sit down, smiling warmly. "I ordered mocha mochi ice cream."

"Uh, thanks…" he managed, a bit dumbfounded. The girl texted quickly on her cell phone. "But they don't serve coffee here."

"I know," she said without looking up, "it's just mocha flavored. My friend makes it herself and it's much better than anything you can get from Starbucks." She put her phone away and flashed a set of perfect teeth. "So what's your name? Everyone's dying to know."

"Everyone?" Mamoru repeated in confusion. The girl flicked her eyes past him and he turned around, seeing all the female workers clustered behind the counter. They giggled and started whispering to each other as Mamoru faced forward again, a blush heating his face. "I'm, uh, Chiba Mamoru," he stammered.

"Nice to meet you, Chiba-san," she chirped. "I'm Tsukino Usagi. For future reference, the girls who work here are Rachel, Cammy, April, Jessica and Makoto."

He took note of the Japanese name. "Makoto? Is she the, um, dessert chef?"

Usagi's eyes widened before she laughed, the sound a fairy would make. "How'd you know that? She's not a pastry chef _yet_, but that's why she's going to the Art Institute. I go there too. I'm studying fashion merchandising." She leaned forward expectantly. "So what do _you_ study?"

"Oh, me?" He was severely awkward tonight. "I'm in the pathology program at the UW school of medicine."

"So that explains this book– _Deadliest Diseases of the Twenty-first Century_. I thought you just had some morbid interests." He smiled sheepishly. They chatted for a bit about college life –Usagi was a freshman, Mamoru an intern– until April, the redhead, brought their ice cream. There wasn't really anything mochi about it other than the fact that Makoto used rice milk instead of cow's milk.

"This is good," Mamoru commented after a few bites. "The consistency is like gelato but lighter."

"I've never tried that," Usagi said. She turned the spoon upside-down in her mouth as the boy's eyes widened.

"You've never had _gelato?_" He was aghast; gelato was one of his only vices. "I should take you to this great Italian bistro downtown. They also make really good spumoni."

Usagi grinned around her spoon. "Okay, it's a date." She abruptly blanched. "I don't mean a _date_-date. I barely know you! Jeez, that'd be so weird." She chuckled nervously as Mamoru looked down to hide a smile. _'Way to embarrass yourself in front of a cute guy!'_

He focused on scraping up every bit of melted ice cream. "So, uh, how long has your friend been working here?"

"Since June. As soon as we moved in with our other friend we went job hunting. This place was a little further than Mako-chan wanted to commute, but the owners were really impressed with her skills. They hired her on the spot!"

June, huh? Too bad he only discovered Amabie last month. "Where do you work?"

Usagi looked extremely pleased with herself. "_I_ got hired at Nordstrom. My employee discount is so awesome and I'm, like, right in the middle of the fashion center. There's Macy's nearby, Juicy Couture, H&amp;M, Nordstrom Rack of course…" She stopped upon noticing Mamoru's blank expression and examined his attire. He wore an unlabeled black jacket over a grey shirt, blander than bland. Usagi glanced at her phone to check the time and realized it was almost seven, when Makoto's shift ended. "Well it was nice talking to you, Chiba-san. I'm glad I ran into you here."

He sat there for a moment. On the one hand Mamoru was saddened that he hadn't gotten to share a single word with Makoto, but on the other Usagi had been very easy to converse with. He generally tried not to interact with complete strangers yet made an exception for her. Maybe he'd been overwhelmed by her personality. "It was nice meeting you too, Tsukino-san. I won't forget about that gelato date." The corner of his lips turned up in hopes that she'd laugh; redness tinged her cheeks instead and her gaze lowered to the floor. That bubbly exterior had faded a little… Was Usagi embarrassed by the thought of hanging out with him? Or, maybe, was she blushing because he'd made a good first impression (for once) and she looked forward to going out with him?

There was nothing physically remarkable about Mamoru. He was a tall but spindly, and a few peers jokingly called him manorexic because he tended to study right through the standard three meals a day. He didn't consider himself handsome by any means, although he was proud of his unusual eyes. They were deep blue in color, dark and enigmatic.

Usagi met them when Makoto tugged her arm, anxious to get home. "I can't wait for it," she said shyly. After they left Mamoru fell back into his seat, unaware that he'd been sitting on the edge. He glanced around and saw he was the only customer left in the café, so he gathered his things and stepped out into the cool night air.

His classes began early but he couldn't sleep. He paced his apartment in Radford Court, replaying his interaction with Usagi dozens of times. He hadn't gotten her number so he couldn't call and work out the details of their date. The more he internally said that word the more anxious he became. He barely had any experience in the dating department having gone out with approximately one girl in high school. That relationship lasted for five months before she got fed up with the fact that Mamoru wanted to study instead of spend time with her. Only a total loser like him would choose homework over "hanging out" while her parents were on vacation.

He was older but hardly wiser when it came to this ritual. What should he wear? Usagi had regarded his outfit with evident disdain. Fashion was important to her, but he thought it was trivial. He couldn't drive her around because he didn't own a car, thus forcing them to depend on public transportation. Did she expect him to hold doors and pay for everything? What if she wanted to hold his hand while they walked around? Should he kiss her at the end of it all?

Mamoru was interrupted by a knock at his door. He opened it to a shirtless young man who put his physique to shame. He tried glaring at Mamoru, but his eyes were too laden with slumber. "Dude, it's two in the morning. I've been listening to you walk around through my ceiling for _hours_. Could you go to sleep already?"

"I'm really sorry," Mamoru sputtered, "I'm just really nervous about a date I have with a really pretty girl." He didn't care how pathetic that made him sound.

The guy actually grinned. "Oh, I've been there. The more you think about every little detail, the scarier it gets. Just do what feels right at each moment. Get some rest, dude." Mamoru nodded and closed the door, feeling guilty that he'd disturbed someone. He was just as bad as his next-door neighbors.

It was times like this he wished for an older brother to give him advice, or even a father figure. He'd been orphaned at the age of eight after his parents died in a car accident, and he couldn't remember them or his own name upon waking up in the hospital. Doctors and police officers kept repeating things until he accepted them as the truth, but deep down he always wondered if he really was Chiba Mamoru. No extended family members had shown up to become his guardian so he lived in an orphanage for a few years until being adopted by a wealthy old man.

This man was the Benefactor. He didn't want to be called "Dad" or "Father." He didn't really want any connection with Mamoru at all besides paying for absolutely everything he needed. The Benefactor bought whatever he wanted (mostly books and toys in his youth), then sent him to a prestigious middle school even though his scores had been mediocre. The Benefactor paid for cram school courses so Mamoru could test into an even more exclusive high school. People on the streets had stared at his uniform, admiring his presumable genius from afar.

Mamoru _was_ very knowledgeable regarding mental medical matters due to his obsession with trying to reverse his amnesia. He had read everything on the subject and even flew around the world to meet with experts. The last doctor he visited regarded him rather pityingly and said that if his mind wanted to regain its lost memories, it would do so of its own accord; there was nothing he could do to force them to come back. Therapy hadn't worked. Hypnosis hadn't worked. Mamoru had even gone on spiritual journeys with the help of questionable substances, none of which freed his mind like they promised.

He gave up after high school. He realized that if he kept trying to obtain the impossible he'd end up in a sanatorium. Even though he was now pursuing a PhD in pathology, he didn't desire it as much as he wanted to cure his amnesia. Mamoru accepted the fact that he couldn't help himself, but he _could_ help other people. Hopefully he could put his accumulated knowledge to good use and develop a cure for some debilitating mental illness.

_'I'm a complete basket case,'_ Mamoru thought as he slumped onto the sofa. _'I have no business trying to go on dates like an average guy. I should just forget everything about Usagi.'_ But try as he might, he couldn't dismiss the way she had smiled at him. That smile seemed to light up his entire life, banishing the shadows that usually encroached upon his mind when he slept. For the first time in a long while, he dreamed peacefully.


	2. I Found You

**Chapter Two: I Found You**

Joe needed a new place to live. Since moving into Radford Court Apartments he'd been subjected to aural torment every Friday, Saturday and occasionally Sunday. It had been worse during the summer when subwoofer-powered EDM made his walls vibrate. Much to his chagrin most of the building's tenants attended these legendary parties, so the landlord paid his single complaint no mind.

During the night of September's third Saturday, Joe became suspicious when the clock struck eight and the floor above him remained silent. He worked on the paper for his sustainability project until eleven, then went to bed. He still feared that he'd get woken up in an hour and not be able to rest until four in the morning when the music usually stopped, but the whole building was quiet. He found himself waking up after midnight anyway due to the slight creaking coming from his ceiling, realizing the occupant above him was pacing. Finally he got out of bed at two o'clock, not bothering to put on a shirt before heading up the stairwell. He knocked on the door of the apartment directly above his.

A skinny Asian guy answered, and when Joe chastised him about his pacing he explained that he was nervous for a date. Joe could relate to that anxiety. He'd been considered a dork, too… at age twelve. Then, thanks to the genes from his Slavic parents, puberty turned him into a very attractive young man. During the last few years at his Catholic school girls had practically thrown their panties at him, and he received explicit texts and emails on a daily basis, none of which he acknowledged.

There had been pressure from his parents to attend university in his hometown so he might attract the eye of an administrator's daughter, but Joe didn't want to get into politics. He wanted to do something meaningful. He'd always felt connected to nature and so decided to study environmental science at the University of Washington. It was a nice change of scenery from Vladivostok but similar enough that he didn't get too homesick.

He spent Sunday morning browsing housing ads in the newspaper, knowing there was nothing available in the U District. He was definitely _not_ going to join a frat. A tiny ad eventually caught his eye, reading:

_Roommates wanted for home in Shoreline. $500/month rent includes all utilities &amp; TV/internet. Call to schedule an interview._

Shoreline was a ways north of campus, but Joe owned a vehicle and didn't mind commuting. Frankenstein, aka Frankie, was his 1988 Suzuki Samurai so named because it was comprised of parks from other makes. He dialed the provided number and was disappointed to get an answering machine. "Hi, my name is Josef Levin and I saw your housing ad in the paper. I'm a senior at the University of Washington, I have a job, and I'm trying to escape the party scene. If you decide to consider me, give me a call at this number…"

After showering, shaving, and getting dressed Joe returned to his kitchenette and saw he'd missed a call. _"Mr. Levin? Sorry I didn't answer you earlier. I'd like to meet today if you have the time."_ He jammed the receiver into his ear, straining to write down the address; it was a bit hard to hear because the speaker had a thick Irish accent. He put the phone back and grinned at his hurried handwriting. The house on Cherry Loop in Shoreline could very well be his salvation.

Frankenstein rumbled down the highway, his loud exhaust drowning out the noise of traffic. When he crept up behind fancy new cars they switched lanes to get out of his way. He was pretty intimidating on the outside with his lift, big tires, steel bumpers and diamond plate. Frankie began life as Joe's daily driver but had been outfitted to serve as the environmental class's trail rig during his first year at UW.

Joe felt bad when he roared onto Cherry Loop, a quiet neighborhood of mansions nestled among trees. _'The ad couldn't possibly be for one of __these__ houses…'_ But the GPS confirmed he was in the right area. He turned down a driveway, parked in front of a three bay garage, and apprehensively walked up the front steps. Joe rang the doorbell and could hear it echoing through the interior. He grew nervous, wondering what kind of person lived here. The guy on the phone hadn't sounded very old. Maybe this was his parents' vacation home and they wanted to make extra money by renting it out. Had he read the ad correctly? Was it really only going to cost him five-hundred bucks a month to live in this gigantic house with everything included?

The door opened, revealing a guy who immediately held out his hand. Joe gripped it firmly and they shook. "Mr. Levin?" he asked.

"Yeah, Josef. Call me Joe." It sounded weird to have someone his age address him as "mister".

"Joe. I'm Kaelan Burke. Come on in."

He was almost overwhelmed when he stepped inside. The interior seemed vast, probably because it was mostly empty. The walls were bare and skylights illuminated the vaulted ceilings. Straight ahead of the entry was what looked like the living room. Old leather couches sat around a huge fireplace, and off to the left was a staircase with a carved wooden railing. The floors were all hardwood, probably oak or cherry, and appeared recently refinished. Joe stopped taking in his surroundings and focused on the owner. "Did you say Burke? As in—"

"Yes, as in the Burke Museum." The Irishman smiled a little. "Thomas Burke was my great-great-grandfather."

Joe was astounded. He _loved_ going to the museum; he saw and learned new things each time. He stood before the descendant of a man who'd had a profound influence on Seattle. It was hard not to be in awe even if Kaelan did look a little strange. His skin was pale and his eyes were cool grey. He had platinum hair, which was really odd, but his eyebrows and lashes were silvery as well.

Kaelan noticed his guest staring and gave a slight sigh. "I have a melanin deficiency. You were expecting freckles, red hair, and green eyes, yeah?"

Joe felt guilty. "Yeah, I shouldn't have assumed…" He shook his head, hoping he hadn't sabotaged his chances of moving in. "So the interview?"

"Right. This way, please." Kaelan led him from the foyer to the kitchen. As Joe expected, it was enormous. There were new stainless appliances, a large granite-topped island, and a breakfast nook with a bay window overlooking the surrounding woods and rocky beach beyond. An opening on the opposite side of the kitchen connected to the dining room, but the table and chairs were covered with moving blankets.

"How long have you lived here?" Joe asked, suspicious.

"A couple weeks," Kaelan answered, earning a look of surprise. "I moved here because my granddad left me this house in his will."

"Oh… I'm sorry for your loss." The words were automatic, but Kaelan shrugged off the condolence.

"I didn't really know him," he said. "He was my dad's dad, and _he_ didn't stick around after I was born. It was just me and Mum until a couple months ago. One day I'm gutting fish at the market and the next I get this letter saying I've got to come to America to claim an inheritance." He smiled at Joe's wide eyes. "This house isn't even the best part. The old man left me a big chunk of the family fortune. All of a sudden I'm stupidly wealthy."

"Clearly you're set for life." Joe shook his head at the impossibility of unexpectedly inheriting millions of dollars and briefly wondered if he had any estranged relatives. "Why do you want roommates, then? You'd no longer have this place all to yourself."

Kaelan closed his eyes while considering the question. "I could go wild with all this money, you know. But Mum said I should use it to build a future for myself. I have to be responsible. And I thought… maybe I should try to do something good like Thomas Burke did. Honor the family name and all that." He shrugged again but Joe smiled at their shared belief in making a difference.

And there was something else about Kaelan he couldn't quite figure out. It was like he knew him from somewhere, but Ireland and Vladivostok were a few thousand miles apart. Joe tried to suppress his feeling of déjà vu while answering questions about his degree and final project, his hobbies and interests, his job and his future plans.

When Kaelan finished he leaned back on a bar stool and stared at Joe appraisingly. "Well, I've only got one question left– when would you like to move in?"

* * *

Mina had a pretty sweet job on campus. She was only a secretary in the sports medicine center, but there was an upside to sitting in front of a computer and filing paperwork: she got to check out all the sexy athletes as they came in for physicals. Some of them strutted around the office without their shirts on, tossing intrigued glances her way, wondering if she wanted what they were offering.

She really, _really_ did, but Ami would admonish her. Getting distracted by boys was the reason why she'd almost flunked high school. Mina would never admit it, but without Ami to keep her on track she definitely wouldn't have gotten into college. _'I probably would have become a dead-eyed stripper without her…'_ She sighed at the thought. She was thankful that Ami's strict tutoring had raised her grades enough to earn a scholarship for the University of Washington. She and Ami were even roommates, which was nice because Mina didn't know if she could handle the stress of freshman year without her best friend at her side.

She averted her eyes from the male specimen at the water fountain, focusing on the exam results the office would be sending to the Husky coaches. Leafing through them made her feel bad for some of the athletes; their x-ray results revealed old injuries that put them at risk, and they probably wouldn't get to play this year.

Another tall, muscular guy walked in and came to a stop before the front desk. Mina's eyes flicked up to find him staring at her, a shocked and confused expression on his face. "Usagi?" he asked.

"Uh, no…" Mina pointed at her name tag.

The boy shook his head and smiled apologetically. "You look just like someone I met earlier this month. Are you from Japan too?"

"Yeah, Tokyo," Mina answered, wondering if the boy had run into a _gyaru_ in Seattle. She didn't identify with that subculture since her blonde hair, blue eyes, and tan skin were natural due to years spent outside in chlorinated pools. "So are you here for a physical?"

"Yeah, I think it's at twelve thirty. Name's Nicholas Meyer."

She consulted the day's scheduled appointments. "Sorry, you're early. It's at one fifteen."

Nicholas dragged a hand down his angular face. "Dammit. I don't want to go back to my dorm. My roommate's driving me crazy."

Mina gave a short laugh. "I know how _that_ feels. Even though I'm rooming with my best friend, she gets so snippy before a test. She's pre-med majoring in neurogenetics."

"So she's really smart, huh? And I thought my civil engineering degree was tough…" He stepped forward and rested his thick forearms on the counter, giving her an easy smile. Clearly he wanted to stay and chat.

She obliged him. "Engineering seems hard. Isn't there a lot of math involved? I'm terrible at math. Thankfully becoming a physical therapist doesn't require much of it. Mostly anatomy and health stuff. But once you realize how fragile our bodies are, it makes you think…" She giggled and waved it off, not wanting to sound too profound. "So what do you play?"

Nicholas blinked away his enraptured expression. "Huh? Oh, I'm an OLB." Mina raised an eyebrow. "Outside linebacker. Football," he clarified, and she nodded in understanding. "Do they even have football in Japan?"

"Some schools do. It's catching on slowly. We usually call it American football because football means soccer—"

"I know!" Nicholas exclaimed, his large palm slapping the desk. "Isn't that annoying? Where I'm from, soccer is diski and football is rugby!" His eyes then widened at some revelation. "Wait a sec. How come all you Japanese girls speak perfect English?"

Mina refrained from asking how many Japanese girls he even knew. "We start learning English in primary school and study all the way through high school. Lots of people end up becoming teachers themselves or interpreters and translators for big companies. Speaking good English can also get you a job as a tour guide, which is good for people who like traveling."

"Lekker," Nicholas grinned. He felt his cheeks grow warm as Mina raised both eyebrows in confusion. Upon arriving in the USA he'd quickly discovered that not many people could understand his colloquialisms. In Joburg, movie theaters were called bioscopes and one's best friend was china. "Ag, sorry…" he mumbled

"It's okay, I got the gist of it." She glanced at the clock and was happy to see that it was time for her lunch break. "Want to get something to eat with me? You have forty minutes until your exam anyway."

"Sure, but I left my wallet in my room." Nicholas smiled innocently as Mina indicated for him to lead the way. He didn't want her to think he was inviting her back to his room for intimate purposes. They trekked northwest across campus and entered Elm Hall.

Mina had not yet been in a boy's dorm room so she was a little nervous as to what she would see. Nicholas gripped the doorknob and gave a rhythmic knock. "I'm decent," someone answered, and he opened the door. She was surprised at how tidy it was; everything appeared to be in a place that made sense. The bathroom to her immediate left exuded the scent of Old Spice, but she hadn't smelled it on Nicholas. It likely belonged to the boy standing near a desk at the rear of the room. He glanced up, his hazel eyes giving Mina a once-over before they darted to Nicholas. "Who's this?" he asked in a too-interested tone.

"Minako Aino," she provided, "but call me Mina."

While Nicholas searched the other desk for his wallet, his roommate approached the girl. He held out a hand and said, "Zacharie le Blanc, but I prefer Zach. Enchanté." When Mina shook it he swept her knuckles to his lips, gazing at her wolfishly from behind a curtain of pale blond bangs.

Mina had been with guys like this before, the ones who put on a gentlemanly act but only kept it up until they got what they wanted. She didn't think the French was fake given his name and aristocratic features. "Don't let him fool you. Zach's from New Orleans, not France," Nicholas commented. Her would-be suitor glared daggers as she stifled a snicker and reclaimed her hand. "Do you mind if I check my email?"

"I don't mind," Mina said, stepping further into the room. Her new friend's half was very monochromatic except for a tower of CDs with bright artwork. Many of them had African names she would probably butcher. Nicholas had a chunky desktop instead of a laptop like Zach, and his desk featured miniature world landmarks that appeared to be constructed from Legos. He had a single poster above his bed, a portrait of Nelson Mandela and the quote _"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world."_

Zach's side looked like an arts and crafts store had exploded on it. Everything was a different color, even his pillowcases. Bits of paper and plastic littered the floor and Mina saw that he was constructing some kind of diorama, a miniature stage complete with fabric scrap curtains and tiny actors. "What's that?" she asked.

The blond boy smiled pridefully. "It's my stage lighting project. Check it out." He flicked a switch on the side of the box and LED bulbs shone down on the cardboard stage. Zach turned a dial and the lights cycled through different colors. "Lighting plays a big part in setting the tone of the scene. This baby will earn me extra credit for sure." Nicholas cleared his throat and Zach rolled his eyes. "Thanks to you, of course. Having an engineer for a roommate has its perks…" His eyes flashed deviously. "Except for his snoring."

"If you're trying to embarrass me it won't work," Nicholas returned while scrolling through his email. The messages were all from the school, but one was from a sender he didn't recognize, utsukino at ais-dot-edu, and the title was _Good Eats! _Upon opening it he discovered a coupon for a tea house called Amabie just south of the U District. He glanced at the clock; they didn't have time to get there and back without borrowing Zach's car. Nicholas enjoyed sampling cuisine from other cultures and decided to save it for future use.

* * *

Zach watched Nicholas walk out the door with envy in his heart. Mina was beyond gorgeous and it was clear his friend wasn't going to do more than offer to pay for her lunch. But it seemed he wasn't very good with women, so maybe it was a good thing he was merely getting acquainted with Mina. And if she started coming around more often, Zach could work his magic without seeming too obvious.

Now that his diorama was complete, he had to write up the paper that went with it. Zach was a fabulous procrastinator but he had the ability to finish assignments at the last minute and still receive good grades. He tucked his laptop under one arm and made his way to the library where he was unsurprised to see many freshmen working furiously to get their homework finished by tomorrow. Coffee cups were all over the place.

Zach smiled to himself because he had been just like them last year. As soon as he got to college all he wanted to do was party. No parents, no high school drama, no two-faced friends, just booze and girls from all around the world. Zach had a great weakness for women, both as an artist and someone who just really enjoyed sex. Most of the girls at UW were willing to give him the time of day… except the library assistant.

He knew from asking around that she was a freshman, but she was as serious and focused as a senior, maybe because she was pre-med, something to do with the brain. Zach didn't really care what she was studying unless it happened to be him, which it never was. Even as he sat down on the front counter she didn't look up from her notebook. "Bonjour, Amy."

"It's Ami," the girl pointedly stated. "_Ah-mee_. Get that through your head."

Zach grinned; he loved teasing her. "Mademoiselle Ami, are you ready to do me the honor of having dinner with me?"

"Only in your dreams," she answered. "On second thought, I don't want you to harass me there, either."

"One could hardly call this harassment," Zach said. "We're just having a conversation, right?" He leaned forward a little, catching the scent of magnolia in her hair. It stirred recollections of home: his family's estate, outdoor holiday parties, sunlit morning mist between the willow trees… Those were the good memories. He quelled the bad ones before they could ruin the moment. "And you'd be surprised at what you do in my dreams."

"No doubt I'm naked in some Kama Sutra position." She said this in a monotone that made him laugh.

"Not at all! But now I know what's on _your_ mind." He finally earned the reaction he wanted. Ami locked her deep brown almond-shaped eyes on him, their laser intensity sending a shiver down his spine. Everything about her was so aesthetically pleasing, and he loved the moment when her anger banished her otherwise expressionless mask. Zach grinned in her face. "No, Ami. All we do in _my_ dreams is have dinner, dance for a bit, and take a walk through the gardens."

"Whatever," she muttered, returning to her notebook. Zach sighed dramatically and hopped off the desk, giving a little wave to a few theater majors from last year's production. He started toward them but paused and turned back.

"Hey, _you're_ Asian…" Ami's head snapped up and she looked ready to murder him. "Do you know this girl named Mina Aino? Sort of a strawberry blonde?"

Her nostrils flared in irritation. "I'm not even going to mention how racist your assumption is. And yes, I do. She's my best friend." She glowered at the smile that turned his lips. "But she's definitely not your type."

"All beautiful people are my type," Zach said with a wink, then sauntered away.

* * *

Ami really wanted to strangle him, anything to wipe that smug look off his face. Her hatred for the boy she hardly knew was quickly replaced by concern for her truest friend in the entire world. How did Zach even know about her? Had they met somewhere? The boy certainly didn't look like an athlete, so he wouldn't have any reason to go to the sports clinic. Maybe he had a friend who scouted for girls he could seduce. How nefarious.

Thanks to Zach she could no longer focus on her homework. With a sigh she stood up and grabbed the cart of books to be reshelved, thanking the other library assistant for organizing them. Hardly anyone glanced away from their papers or computers as she skirted the tables; Ami was silent and invisible to them, just the way she wanted it, but Zach saw her for some reason. He flirted with her almost every day even though she'd made it clear she was completely uninterested. He was probably one of those boys who'd grown up believing that teasing a girl meant he liked her, but to Ami that just made him a jerk. As she slipped dictionaries and thesauruses into their spaces she thought of a few choice adjectives for the Zach, muttering them to her own ears.

She rounded a corner and gasped. He was sitting right there! Ami froze in place and waited for him to turn around with that arrogant smirk on his face. No doubt she would be battered by a torrent of demeaning descriptors and quickly prepared a new vocabulary assault… But Zach didn't move. He must not have heard her. Ami released her breath and cautiously resumed her task, glaring at her nemesis all the while. He was hunched over one of those touch-screen laptops, the stylus in his hand working furiously. She leaned sideways to peer at the sliver of screen visible beneath his arm and saw what appeared to be a fashion sketch. Ami took a step closer, hovering by his shoulder to watch the growing amalgamation of lines.

Zach's model wasn't freakishly lanky like most fashion croquis. The one he drew seemed rather petite and had a hand on her jutting hip, a sassy pose. He gave her short dark hair like Trinity from _The Matrix_. Ami watched, impressed, as he began sketching a dress. It had a sweetheart neckline, cold shoulders and ended mid-thigh. It looked trendy and sleek, like something Mina would wear. Zach drew a pair of cage heels over the model's feet and began coloring, but a cough from someone sitting across from him halted the stylus.

The girl glanced from Ami to Zach a few times and lifted her eyebrows, prompting Zach to spin in his chair as Ami stepped back, indifference veiling her visage. However, it was obvious from the expression on his face that he knew she'd been watching. His features were a mixture of embarrassment and curiosity before his arrogance surfaced. "What do you think? Is it worthy of Paris?"

"I wouldn't know," Ami said flatly. Fashion wasn't really her forte much less haute couture. "Aren't you supposed to be a theatrical director, not a fashion designer?"

Zach shrugged. "I want to do it all. Writing, casting, costume and set design… It's like that saying– 'too many cooks spoil the broth'. I don't want a bunch of people ruining my production." Ami just stood there, a little stunned by the fact that he hadn't yet contaminated their conversation with innuendo. "Want some help with those?" He pointed at the cart and smiled kindly, though it still resembled a smirk. Ami wasn't sure if she should trust him. He rose before she could answer and grabbed a stack off the bottom. "I know where these all go. Seven-ninety, performing arts."

_'He knows the Dewey Decimal System?'_ Ami shook her head and resumed the task at hand. She replaced books on painting, photography, architecture and music, then pushed on to history. Zach jogged to catch up and helped himself to another stack, but she stepped in his way. "What are you doing?" she demanded.

He blinked in surprise. "Um, helping you?"

"I didn't ask for it."

"I know," Zach grinned, "but _I_ did and you didn't answer."

Ami crossed her arms and glared. "You shouldn't presume silence to be a confirmation."

They dueled as statues. Zach didn't put the books down and Ami didn't unfold her arms or step aside. She didn't feel bad for snapping at him; it was perfectly reasonable for her to be suspicious of this sudden personality shift. He couldn't make suggestive remarks every time he came into the library and expect her to disregard them just because he was being a decent person now. She saw Mina fall for that trick more than once.

Eventually Zach sighed. "Just let me put these away and I'll get out of your hair."

_'And stay out!'_ Ami wanted to say, but kept her lips pressed together. As promised he held up his empty hands and disappeared from her aisle once the books had been returned, and she released an irritated breath. If she wasn't already certain that Zach was trying to hook up with Mina, she would ask her best friend if his change in tactic meant he was legitimately interested in _her_.


	3. Let the Light Shine In

**Chapter Three: Let the Light Shine In**

Rei was known as "that girl with the glasses" on campus. Not reading glasses, sunglasses. They were really stylish Oakleys, the lenses coated with thin layers of clear paint containing crystal particles in multiple colors. She was rather proud of herself for coming up with this solution to her vision problem since doctors had been unable to diagnose what was wrong with her eyes. As a baby she would burst into tears upon the sight of any other human being, including her own parents. To this day she still felt a twinge of guilt that she never gave her mother a day of peace even when she was dying from leukemia.

Upon entering middle school she stopped seeing optometrists and started researching her illness on her own, only to discover she possessed what occultists called an open third eye. She was supposedly enlightened with the ability to see auras. When she took her eyes off the ground and really started looking at people, this explanation made sense. Everyone around her radiated an intense color, hence the glasses, and whenever she looked in a mirror she had to squint against her own vibrant red halo. To offset this constant chromatic assault, Rei owned mostly black things. Her secondary identifier was "that goth chick."

She made her way to downtown Seattle for her seasonal shopping trip. Rei had last splurged on furnishing her apartment near Bastyr University, but her father _had_ said she could buy whatever she needed. Apparently that was a perk of being a politician: his salary was so great he could give his teenage daughter a limitless credit card. Not that Rei would take advantage of her father like that, even though their relationship was strained.

Her mother's death drove a wedge between them. Her father had no idea how to raise a child and admitted to Rei's face that he never planned on having one, which was _not_ what she needed to hear at age twelve. At least he also admitted that he truly loved her mother and was unlikely to remarry or have any more "accidents".

Rei breezed through Macy's, Saks, and Nordstrom Rack. Although she found the parent store to be sparsely populated (probably because it was ten in the morning on a Sunday) she didn't dare remove her glasses because sales associates had a tendency to apparate. One tried to sneak up on her as she paused in the perfume section, but she went up the escalator before the Botox'd woman could attack with a sales pitch. In the denim department Rei was happy to see black jeans from all the premium brands. She wasn't alone; a tall girl exited a dressing room and examined herself in the mirrors, judging a flared pair. "Those look good on you," Rei commented. The girl turned and raised an eyebrow at her all-black ensemble.

"I guess you would know," she said, smiling. "I just wish they weren't so expensive. This is one of the only places I can get long-inseam jeans."

"I'm sorry. I bet it's nice being tall, though. No one can look down on you." The girl's eyes widened. She'd probably never thought about that before, but Rei's perspective was a lot different than most. She lowered her glasses a little, catching a burst of lush, grassy green. Green people tended to be honest, level-headed, and energetic. "Levi's has long lengths. Maybe you should check there," she suggested.

"Thanks, but my friend's letting me use her employee discount. I have to get something today or the offer expires." She then shrugged and bowed. "I'm Kino Makoto."

"Hino Rei," she replied. "I like your earrings."

Makoto reached for one of the pink roses with a diamond in the center, a birthday gift from her late parents. "Thanks. I like your sunglasses."

She didn't ask why Rei was wearing them indoors, which made her happy. She could already tell Makoto was a very straightforward person who didn't like frills. There were a lot of people like that at her school. "You don't go to Bastyr, do you?" she inquired.

"Nope, the Art Institute. But I was just there for the horticulture fair. I got this massive bromeliad and a couple orchids." Rei nodded politely as Makoto rolled her eyes. "And I also met this guy who my friend wants me to marry."

"Oh really?" Rei grinned. "What does he look like? Maybe I know him."

"I doubt it, he was visiting from UW. At least that's what he said." She shrugged and entered the changing room, talking loudly through the door. "Bastyr sounds really cool, though. If I'd known about it I might have gone there. They have an organic cooking program, right?"

"Yes, there are Bachelors and Masters in nutrition and culinary arts. Do you like to cook?"

"Yeah, but I'm more into baking. I'm going to AI to become a pastry chef. What do you do?" Makoto reemerged, looking genuinely curious.

"I'm studying acupuncture and Chinese medicine," Rei answered.

"That thing with the needles?" she shuddered. "I hate needles. Hey, I bet these skinny jeans would look great on you."

They spent half an hour discussing nothing of consequence and not once did Rei feel like the green-eyed girl was waiting around for something better to do. Makoto _did_ ask if she was into visual kei or lolita style, which made her laugh. Maybe if they actually became friends she'd explain why she preferred black. When they had wasted enough time and only picked out one pair of jeans each, they went to the checkout stands where Makoto said her friend would ring them up with a discount. Rei followed dutifully until she was halted by an arm being flung across her face. "What the hell is _he _doing here?" Makoto hissed.

"Who?" Rei asked. She ducked beneath the arm and saw a lone blonde cashier talking to a boy with black hair. His black pea coat was pretty nondescript and she wondered how Makoto knew who it was.

"That guy is _always_ at the restaurant where I work! Last week Usagi came by so we could go home together but ended up talking to him until my shift ended, and he mentioned something about taking her out for gelato! I think he's creepy!" Rei frowned and looked at him without her glasses. His aura was gold, a highly unusual color. The only other person she knew with a gold aura was her father. And she saw something else that gave her an involuntary shiver, which Makoto noticed. "See? I definitely do _not_ want him hanging around my best friend."

"Wait, it's not that!" But the brunette was already marching toward him.

Usagi couldn't believe that Mamoru was here. The fact that he came all the way from UW just to see her filled her stomach with butterflies. For a full minute after saying "hi" they just stood there smiling at one another. Truthfully, Mamoru wasn't sure what to do next. He didn't even know when Usagi had a break or what time she got off work. Also truthfully, he was quite enamored with the off-the-shoulder top she wore; he didn't know why that little patch of skin was so alluring. He finally found his words. "So when do you have a break? The bistro is only a few blocks from here."

Usagi glanced at her watch. "I'll actually be off in twenty minutes. You have really good timing."

"I try," Mamoru chuckled, even though he thanked his lucky stars at the coincidence. "And just so we're clear, I'll be paying." He cheered himself for being assertive.

"Okay. Well, why don't you look around until I'm off? If you find something you want to buy I can use my discount."

If adding designer names to his wardrobe would lead to another date, so be it. Mamoru turned to ascend the escalator only to nearly run into Makoto and another girl he didn't recognize. "Are you stalking Usagi?" the brunette demanded, hands on her hips in a power stance.

Mamoru reflexively stepped back. "No, of course not!"

"Then why are you always at Amabie? Do you just sit around waiting for her to show up?"

His mouth opened and closed a few times. He definitely wasn't about to admit that he kept going back to see _her_, not the blonde. He hadn't even been aware of Usagi's existence until this week! "I really like the tea…" he said weakly, "and the atmosphere. I live in a loud building."

Makoto deflated a little, eyeing him suspiciously, and the girl in black gently tried pulling her out of his path. She yielded but still glared. She had no idea what was up this guy's sleeve if he was interested in _Usagi_. Not that her best friend wasn't totally awesome, but she was kind of an airhead who mostly cared about video games, manga, and fashion. If Mamoru really was as intellectual as Usagi said –being a pathology student and all– then she suspected he was only after one thing.

Makoto lifted her chin and smirked as the boy slunk away. He was right to be afraid of her. "What was that all about?" Rei inquired, peering up through the gap her glasses left.

"I just have a feeling that guy's up to no good," Makoto said. She then let out a huffy breath. "Come on, let's pay before Usa-chan goes skipping off with him."

* * *

Usagi had to wear heels after opening the store, but heels weren't exactly the best shoes for walking around downtown. "It's really not far," Mamoru assured her for the third time, "just another block." They headed south toward the waterfront, stopping at a red light. The girl's feet were killing her; usually she went straight home after work to take a shower and a nap.

"Are we really getting close or are you just leading me into unfamiliar territory?" she joked. Mamoru cringed, however, at the second mention of him being a creep within the same half hour. "And what's the name of this place? I'll look it up on my phone."

"No need, I know exactly where it is. It's Italian and I can't really pronounce it." He flashed a smile and crossed the street when the light turned green, Usagi's shoes clacking as she tried to keep pace. With every step her Marc Jacobs pinched and rubbed.

_'__Why do I suffer in the name of fashion?'_ she asked herself. If her ankles gave out, maybe Mamoru would carry her. She blushed at the idea.

"Aha, there it is!" Mamoru pointed at a storefront with green trim and tall windows. An Italian flag was painted on the glass and the name was indeed something long and unwieldy. A bell on the door jingled when they walked through, and all Usagi's complaints vanished as the scents of freshly-baked bread, rich tomato sauce, fresh herbs and melted cheeses wafted up her nose. She gratefully leaned on the cold case behind which many cartons of ice cream glistened. After she requested strawberry cheesecake and Mamoru ordered plain vanilla, they went to a table in the very back of the bistro and were treated to a view of Puget Sound.

Usagi closed her eyes and groaned in delight upon first bite. Having sampled every flavor in the bistro, Mamoru knew her selection was made from pureed strawberries and chunks of actual cheesecake. It was quite decadent. "How's yours?" the girl asked.

"Very sweet. Here, have a taste." He offered the spoon under the assumption that she'd take it from him, but she just ate the speckled glob right off it. Mamoru gave his empty utensil a perplexed look. _'Her lips were on this spoon. It's like indirectly kissing her.'_

_"__Don't be stupid,"_ his logical mind returned. He listened, banishing the silly thought.

"That's really good," Usagi said. "Is it made with actual vanilla bean? It tastes so much better than the fake stuff." She had a sudden epiphany and began laughing, making Mamoru tilt his head. "Sorry, that must have seemed really random. It's just that Mako-chan is always nagging me about eating healthy. She only cooks with organic ingredients and I'm beginning to understand why."

"You should consider yourself lucky to have her. I basically subsist on ramen, rice, miso and dried fruit." He laughed, but Usagi's lower lip slid forward in a sympathetic pout.

"All you do is study, huh?" She stared at her gelato, already knowing the answer. "How do you discover places like this if you don't have time for it?"

Mamoru sucked in breath. He was a little miffed that she made such a negative assumption about him… but it was true, so he couldn't exactly refute it. "It was during the summer," he answered. "I'm at UW year-round so during breaks I walk wherever I can. I don't have much of a family to visit in Japan." He shrugged and took another bite, but it was bitter.

"Oh, I see," the girl said softly. "I've only been away from mine for four months. I'm saving up to visit them during Christmas break. They'll have a new house by then."

Although she didn't elaborate, Mamoru knew exactly what she was talking about. Last year a huge explosion decimated a substantial portion of Tokyo. Millions of people were displaced and a large percentage of them fled the country entirely. The United States opened its arms to the Japanese refugees and many of them settled in Hawaii and along the west coast. After a few more months, the Japanese government's investigation traced the explosion to a research company called Tomoe Laboratories, but the CEO and head scientist had perished in the blast. Further investigation had yet to reveal the exact cause of the incident.

"Where did they relocate to?" Mamoru asked.

"Tokushima. My dad always wanted to live near the beach." Usagi lifted a shoulder and all the negativity of their conversation seemingly slid off her. Silence still reigned for a few minutes until the boy asked what she liked to do for fun. Having finished her gelato, Usagi tossed her empty cup in the garbage and grinned. "C'mon, I'll show you. This time I'll pay."

"Where—" was all Mamoru got out before she grabbed his hand and pulled him from his seat. She didn't let go as they ran down the cobblestone street to Pike Place, pausing beneath the Alaskan Way viaduct to wait for a lull in traffic. Mamoru wondered if she was leading him to the ferry, but then Usagi turned into Pier 57. They passed a few curio shops, a candy store, and finally arrived at her favorite destination: the arcade.

"So what are you good at?" She was beaming and Mamoru couldn't help but smile back. "Candy claw? Gadget grab? Racing? Shooting? How about DDR?"

"Not at all," Mamoru chuckled, "I have two left feet." He glanced around, taking in all the flashing lights and noises. They were the only people in the arcade, which felt weirdly intimate, but he realized she was trying to get him to have fun for once in his life. _'Why not?'_ His logical mind began to protest but he stifled his misgivings. "I don't think I know how to play any of these games."

"No problem, I'll teach you!"

After an hour Mamoru learned how to kill aliens and race through a city. He managed to hit most of the quarter notes of fast-paced bemani songs but could only watch in awe as Usagi kicked off her heels and stomped her way through tracks laden with eighth and sixteenth notes, which made her very sweaty.

"Mako-chan is even better than me," she panted. "She has endurance." She stepped off the stage and stared rather resentfully at her shoes. The thought of even walking up the sidewalk to her apartment made her muscles ache. With an indolent shrug Usagi left them on the floor and headed into a small alcove with old game cabinets. "Do you know how to joust?" she asked, tossing a grin over her shoulder.

"Only in theory." He stood beside her as she fed quarters into the machine.

"Okay, well this version is super easy. I'm the ostrich and you're the stork." Mamoru raised a skeptical eyebrow, unable to discern which pixelated bird was which. "You press this button to flap and fly around with the joystick. To kill the green guys you sort of land on their head. Don't let them land on you. If you run right into them you bounce off. Got it?"

Mamoru wanted more details but Usagi suddenly shouted at him to get off the ground and start lancing green birds. He pressed the button furiously, already feeling his hand cramp up after the first wave, but he quickly figured out that it was easiest to sit on the topmost pixelated ledges and let the green birds come to him. His strategy worked well until the fifth level. "Egg wave! EGG WAVE!" Usagi screamed. "Get them before they hatch!" In his haste Mamoru descended to the first platform and ran to a green pixel on the edge, but a hand came out of the fire and killed him.

"Dammit!" he yelled, immediately blushing at the curse. Usagi thought it was hilarious. She grabbed all the eggs before he regenerated, then they went on as normal until wave eight, when a message appeared. "Beware the unbeatable pterodactyl?" Mamoru repeated.

"Oh crap, I forgot about that. Just stay away from it." The alcove echoed with their combined button-mashing. Mamoru actually had to fly around because the enemies were getting smarter; some of them bounced off ledges and killed him, but Usagi's ostrich was always there to avenge him. The pterodactyl finally appeared, flapping incessantly toward Mamoru and releasing a terrifying eight-bit screech. "Go on the middle platform, the one with the crack," the girl commanded. He landed his stork and the pterodactyl (it should have been called a pterosaur, he noted) slowly descended from the top of the screen. Usagi landed behind him as the pterodactyl lunged across the platform, right into the lance. The game released five notes of victory and a red 3000 appeared. "Owned!" she exclaimed.

"I think my hand is going numb," Mamoru said, and much to his surprise Usagi just walked away from the game. She retrieved her shoes but didn't put them on until they had exited onto the sidewalk, where the boy checked his watch. They'd spent a substantial amount of time playing games and ferry traffic now dominated the streets. Mamoru could either hop on a bus or grab a taxi to take him back to campus, but he'd be trapped in a vehicle for much longer than he wanted. _"Good job, now you're stuck downtown for at least three hours,"_ his logic chided.

_'Spending time with her was worth it,'_ he shot back. But he _did_ have some homework to finish before tomorrow… "Usagi-san, could I please use your phone to call a taxi?"

"You're so polite," she smiled, batting at him playfully. "But sorry, it's dead." Mamoru's expression fell to despair. Usagi apparently found this amusing. "Hey, don't look so glum! My apartment is, like, right there. You can use our house phone." She began walking north and the boy followed a moment later.

* * *

He had assumed the girl in black was the third roommate Usagi mentioned, but when he entered their apartment he was introduced to someone he recognized. "I'm a huge fan of yours," Mamoru gushed after bowing to Michiru. He then shot Usagi a look that asked if this was really happening right now.

The virtuoso smiled and returned the greeting. "It's always a pleasure to meet my fans. I wasn't expecting there to be so many of them in this city. I get recognized almost every time I go out."

"It isn't because you're totally gorgeous or anything," Usagi said from the fridge. There were usually leftovers from Michiru's gourmet lunches. "Guys are _always_ hitting on you when we go somewhere together."

Mamoru understood why that would happen. Michiru carried herself with the elegance of a mature, self-assured woman, and she was very intellectual, as anyone who followed her musical career knew. Usagi was pretty too, but mostly because she had such a unique look. She was definitely more approachable than Michiru and Makoto. "How did the three of you become friends?" Mamoru found himself asking.

Michiru rolled her eyes a little as Usagi turned to grin at him. "Funny story, actually. I met Makoto in junior high. She transferred into my class and was all grumpy because people started spreading rumors about her. One day we were playing dodge ball in P.E. and some jerk threw one right at my head, but Mako-chan jumped in the way and caught it. She threw it back at him and knocked him out!" Mamoru could picture it easily. "She sort of became my bodyguard," Usagi went on, "and we bonded over our love of food. She likes to cook, I like to eat! Then we met Michiru in high school. Mako-chan and I were in culinary arts class and got to cater the music festival. She performed at our school and afterward got something to eat from mine and Mako-chan's booth…"

"And I exclaimed that it was the best yakiniku I'd ever had," Michiru finished. "But that's just the story Usa-chan likes to tell." She winked at the boy. "I _actually_ met them because they were both failing history and showed up at the same night school where I studied."

Mamoru smiled, but it was far from genuine. He wished he had connections like that. He wished he had friends who wanted to stay in his life no matter where he went. Ever since his parents' death he'd only been able to rely on himself. He was his own best friend. Maybe that was why he seemed magnetically attracted to Usagi– she was so inviting, so non-discriminating. She knew he had terrible fashion sense. She knew he was socially awkward. She knew he was a newbie at video games. But the fact that she just spent three hours with him _and_ invited him to her home meant she didn't care about any of those things… or she was just being way too nice. However, he had a feeling that having Makoto for a friend would erase any doormat-like tendencies.

They spent a couple hours in Usagi's room, Mamoru forgetting all about calling a cab. First she showed off her anime and video game collectibles, then she got down to the business of teaching him how to play Kirby Air Ride. There were so many secrets to unlock that Mamoru got totally sucked into the game. Michiru listened to their shouts and laughter while working on a composition, glad that Usagi had made a new friend, a handsome and intelligent one at that.

Makoto returned after dark with several shopping bags in hand, dumping them on the living room sofa and heading straight to the shower. She and Rei went all over the place trying on clothes and now she was quite tired. On the way to her room Makoto saw three people sitting at the kitchen table. She halted, rotating slowly to face the boy casually sipping tea from her favorite mug. "What is _he_ doing here?" Makoto frigidly inquired.

"This is Chiba Mamoru," Michiru answered. "He's a pathology student at UW."

"I don't care who he is or what school he goes to. Why is he in _my_ kitchen?" The older girl began to answer but Makoto erupted. "It's bad enough that he _stalks_ me and Usagi where we work! Do you know he came to Nordstrom today to take her out for _gelato?!_ Getting ice cream doesn't take _two hours!_ I waited for you to come back so we could go shopping!"

"We went to the arcade," Usagi explained. "We were there until two, then we came here."

"Chiba-san needed to call a taxi," Michiru added.

Makoto snorted. "What, you don't have a cell phone?" Her gaze flicked over him judgmentally. "I guess you couldn't afford one since you obviously only shop at thrift stores."

Mamoru felt an angry prickle in his chest. What the hell was this girl's issue with him? Was she a raging misandrist or something? He always left a tip at Amabie. He'd been nothing but courteous to Usagi. Why was she attacking him like this?

Usagi moved to blockade her friend's view of the boy. "Leave him alone, Mako-chan. You of all people know you can't judge others based on what they wear." She looked like the blonde had slapped her. "Mamoru is a nice guy, okay? You don't have to worry about me with him… We're not in high school anymore."

Makoto suddenly released all her angry energy and gave Usagi a guilty look. "I'm sorry," she whispered, then she straightened and stared at Mamoru. "I'm sorry for insulting you." Although curt she sounded honest enough and the boy nodded in acceptance. Makoto then spun on her heel and retreated to her room, Usagi following a moment later.

Mamoru sat in the kitchen chair like a statue, unsure of what to do. He could leave right now and stand out in the cold until the taxi arrived, but he didn't really want to, even though Makoto believed his presence violated her kitchen. For some reason he felt more comfortable in the girls' apartment than his own.

But Usagi didn't want further tensions to arise. She returned with her makeup washed away and the artificial curls in her hair brushed out, and Mamoru followed her down to the front of the building. They sat on a bench beneath a streetlight, listening to traffic trickle across the viaduct until she sighed. "Mako-chan was just being protective," she said softly. "Once she noticed how guys were treating me, she pretty much stopped me from dating. But like I said, I'm not that girl any more. She knows that."

"I see…" Mamoru said. "She seems… ruthless."

Usagi gave a slight laugh. "Yeah, that's how she fended off the more persistent guys. Attacking their egos made them stay away from us."

"Luckily I don't have much of an ego to destroy." This earned a small smile from the girl. "I really don't want to come between you and your friends, so you probably won't be seeing me again."

She blinked once before her lips separated into a grin. "Are you kidding? It's not every day I meet a guy who can keep up with me at Joust!"

"It was actually kind of fun," Mamoru admitted.

"Then we'll have to play again– I have it on this arcade pack for my Super NES! We could have a marathon gaming session, or watch movies and order pizza! And I can teach you how to play Mario Kart!"

Mamoru smiled at the suggestions. "That all sounds fun. We can do anything as long as I'm able to catch a bus next time." A light blue taxi pulled up to the curb. He opened the door but didn't get in yet.

"Yeah, next time…" Usagi stepped a little closer to him. "I have classes every day of the week. Today I had a receiving and stocking shift but I usually work nine to five on Saturday and Sunday. If you drop by after I'm off, we can get dinner and hang out, or whatever you feel like doing. You'd be my guest." Once again she stared at the ground while blushing.

Mamoru stood with one foot in the cab and the other on the sidewalk, grinning like a fool. This _definitely_ meant there was something between them. It didn't matter if it was friendship or something more romantic, he was just grateful to have Usagi in his life.


	4. Falling Into Place

**Chapter Four: Falling Into Place**

"So who was that girl you were with yesterday?" Usagi inquired after finishing her morning routine. "The one wearing all black?"

"Her name's Hino Rei," Makoto answered, flipping an omelet before sliding it onto Usagi's plate. "She goes to Bastyr, that school we visited last week. We're going to hang out on this week."

"Oh, cool." A pause. "Why was she wearing sunglasses inside?"

"I don't know," Makoto shrugged, "maybe she's photosensitive or something." She sat down across from the blonde and stared at her. "Listen, I'm really sorry I was so bitchy last night. I know you can take care of yourself now, but I just really, _really_ don't want to see you get hurt ever again."

Usagi smiled wryly. "You think Mamo-chan's dangerous? Did you see how thin he is?"

"Physical abuse isn't the only kind, Usa-chan. All those guys back home were always talking to their friends about how clueless you were, and it's crap like that I worry about. Mamoru seems like one of those stoic broody types. Who knows what's going on in his head if you can't see it on his face?" She sighed and left the kitchen table, heading to their room to change out of her jogging clothes. "You'd better eat that whole omelet!" she called.

"I will!" Usagi returned, grabbing it and her book bag as she left for class. She knew she should be more thankful she had a friend as caring as Makoto, but deep down she was annoyed at being treated like a helpless princess. One of the reasons they both came to Seattle was so they could have fresh starts. Usagi just wanted to put the past behind her, but Makoto seemed intent on dredging it up.

_'I know I'm not like that anymore… I'll never be that girl again.'_ Firstly, she wasn't even considering a romantic relationship with Mamoru at this point, so Makoto shouldn't be worried about _that_. Secondly, she wasn't so stupid as to jump into a relationship with someone she barely knew. All the guys she'd dated in high school were ones she grew up with, guys who went from goofy to attractive and had interests ranging from sports, cars, and art to politics and academics.

Usagi hadn't changed that much; she was still a Nintendo fangirl who enjoyed trashy manga and listening to upbeat bemani music. She still liked to cosplay, watch romantic comedies and eat junk food. The majority of her ex-boyfriends had wanted her to be their personal cheerleader, just arm candy to wear and show off. They thought she was a pushover who could be manipulated to serve their interests, but even she had been self-aware enough not to let that ever happen completely.

* * *

When Mamoru left the apartment building he was somewhat amused to see a bed frame and sofa awkwardly sticking out of an SUV in the parking lot. Clattering resounded in the stairwell and he turned to see the blond guy who lived below him hefting a box of small appliances. _'Lucky him getting to move out…'_ "Where are you headed?" Mamoru asked.

"Shoreline!" the guy answered, throwing the box into his rig. He then approached Mamoru. "It's a little ways north of here, but it's so much quieter. Can't beat the rent either, only five hundred bucks a month."

"Five hundred?" Mamoru repeated. That was less than what he was paying for Radford Court. He couldn't move out of the U District, though, because he didn't have a car to commute with. "Well good luck to you. Are you moving because of the people next door to me?"

"Yeah, I really need to focus on my final project." He narrowed his eyes at Mamoru. "Are you telling me you hate them, too? I'm not the only one?"

"I really do hate them," he laughed, and held out his hand. "Mamoru Chiba."

"Rhymes with Chamoru," the guy grinned. His grip was strong and his hands were calloused from hard work. "Joe Levin… Hey! The place I'm moving has three other rooms for rent. If you want to get out of here, I'll leave the landlord's number so you can give him a call."

"That would be great," Mamoru said.

Joe scribbled it on a piece of scrap paper, then shook Mamoru's hand again. "Take it easy, dude!" He seemed ecstatic to be leaving and Mamoru felt a twinge of jealousy. He'd lived on campus for four years and was ready for a change of scenery, but there was no sense getting his hopes up when he was unable to travel back and forth from school.

Once again he spent all day at Amabie but actually ordered a substantial amount of food to fuel his intense study session. At three he realized Makoto hadn't come in for work and waved at the server of Vietnamese descent named Camille, who glided over with a smile. "She only works Tuesdays, Thursdays and weekends because she has classes the rest of the week," she explained.

"Oh… I'm actually trying to get a hold of her friend, Usagi. Do you know her number by chance?"

Cammy put a long fingernail to her lips. "I think one of the cooks has it. I'll get it for you."

Mamoru smiled and thanked her. Now that he'd done it a few times, talking to strangers wasn't so daunting. Cammy delivered the slip of number along with his sashimi, which he devoured before typing up a few more pages of his dissertation. At 4:30 he left Amabie with Usagi's number in his pocket and walked into Montlake in search of a place to buy a mobile phone.

* * *

Mina and Ami only had two early classes on Thursday, and neither desired to hang out where the other worked on campus. "We can't just sit here and rot in our room," Mina declared. "We need to get out and _do_ something! We need to meet hot guys!"

Ami waved away the notion. "You can go meet boys. I'll stay here and read."

"What _are_ you reading, anyway?" The blonde leaned down to peer at the cover and tittered. "_The Last Unicorn_? Isn't that a little too fantastical for your taste?"

"It's actually a decent representation of tropes that are now common in the fantasy genre."

"Bor-ing," Mina said airily. "Okay, fine. You stay here and I'll go scope out the deli for hotties. I wouldn't want you cramping my style, anyway."

"That's me, the style-cramper."

Mina rolled her eyes, grabbed her trench coat and left. As soon as she was in the hall she opened her phone to text Nicholas. With guys like him she typically established a whirlwind relationship based on mutual physical attraction, but she had no desire whatsoever to see him naked so she happily added him to her list of good friends. **"Nikko-kun, I'm bored! Wanna get something to eat with me?"**

**"Zach and I are just leaving to try out this sushi place nearby. I have a promo thing."**

**"Oh. Well Ami and I know all about sushi, you know. We can pay for ourselves."**

**"I just told Zach you two wanted to come and he says be outside your dorm in six minutes."**

**"Exactly six mins? Can do!"**

Mina spun around and ran back to the room, earning a raised eyebrow from Ami when she burst through the door. "You found a hot boy already? It's only been two minutes."

"You know that guy Nicholas I've been telling you about? He wants us to get sushi with him."

Ami lowered her book. "I suppose I could use a taste of home…" The corner of her lips quirked. "But if I end up becoming the third wheel, I'm walking back here."

Mina grinned. "You'd better do it in style, then! Wear your MIA boots."

Ami sighed but zipped up her knee-length boots nonetheless, then they navigated the maze of hallways and staircases leading out of Hansee Hall. A silver BMW sedan was waiting to pick them up, but when Ami saw Zach in the passenger seat she froze in place. "Mina! You didn't tell me _he_ was coming with us!"

The blonde raised an eyebrow. "You know Zach? He's Nicholas' roommate."

"Do I _know_ him?! He's the jerk who's been harassing me in the library since the quarter began!"

Mina frowned and glanced between her best friend and the boy, who lowered the window. "Come on, it's starting to rain."

"I'm not going anywhere with you!" Ami spat.

"Not even if I'm paying?" Zach left the car and she took a step back when he approached. "Mademoiselle Ami, I apologize for the wrong foot we started off on. I never meant any harm." He mussed his hair and smiled sheepishly. "If you come with us to dinner, I promise you'll get to know the real me."

She glared. "And why would I want to do that?"

"Because from what I've heard about you, I believe we actually have a lot in common. You like classical music, literature, and swimming, right?" Her wide eyes confirmed it. "And it's not like the food _here_ is anything to write home about. I've read good reviews about the place we're going." The smile relaxed into a crooked smirk without malice. "It's also a tea house. Don't you like tea?"

Ami loved tea. She released a groan of resignation and settled into the back of the sedan since Mina had stolen the front. The rain fell harder as they drove south, turning the roads reflective black.

"You didn't tell me you had a car," Mina remarked as they skirted Washington Park.

"It's his," Nicholas said.

"Oh. Then why isn't he driving? Is it because of the rain?"

Zach shook his head. "I had a panic attack earlier… I'm still a little shaky."

Ami wanted to ask what caused it but held her tongue. She fumed all the way to the tea house, hoping her aura would convey to everyone else in the car how unhappy she was with this situation. Thankfully Mina sat beside her in the booth they were shown to. When the server came they ordered three different kinds of tea: honey green, black vanilla chai, and white orange blossom peach for Ami. She glowered when Zach poured himself a cup.

"Wow, this is way better than the liquid sugar they drink where I'm from." He chuckled when everyone looked alarmed. "Not literally. Southern sweet tea just lives up to its name."

"In _my_ hometown we drink rooibos." Mina smiled at the way Nicholas rolled the R's. Even though she didn't like-like him, she couldn't deny that he had a sexy voice. When everyone finished sampling the tea and choosing a favorite they reached for the stack of menus, but Nicholas' giant hand fell upon it. "I've got it covered," he grinned. Once the server returned he handed her the promotional coupon he'd printed several days ago.

Her gaze flicked between the paper and their group. "So which of our employees are you friends or family of? They get a little bonus when you eat here."

Everyone stared at the boy. "Employee? Uhh…" The server narrowed her eyes in suspicion just as the kitchen door swung open and a girl holding a tray of miniature cakes appeared. "Her!" Nicholas exclaimed, more in awe than relief.

The server turned. "Oh, are you Makoto's friends from AI?" They all nodded in what they hoped was a convincing manner. "All right, one matsuri special coming up!"

When she was gone Nicholas sighed in relief. "Eish, that almost gave _me_ a panic attack. What's a matsuri anyway?"

"It means festival," Ami supplied. He nodded slowly, distracted by the girl placing cakes into the chilled display. Was it really the same Makoto he'd met at the horticulture fair? Her hair was in a low bun, but there was no mistaking those vibrant green eyes. She looked kind of cute in the dark blue uniform.

While Mina gave a lesson on Japanese dining etiquette, Ami stared at Zach. He listened intently, like he would take this bit of cultural advice to heart. Was he just hoping to impress Mina? She wished she had more to go on other that what she'd heard about him from working in the library. She knew Zach wanted to be a theatrical director and, judging by his comment about wanting to do it all, thought he was a bit of a control freak.

He was always well-dressed when she saw him. He often wore fitted jeans, a button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up, and a loose printed tie around his neck. He was short with a slim build but held his shoulders back and his chin up, walking confidently (arrogantly, she reminded herself) through the library. There were always art students studying and whenever Zach joined them he seemed to infect them with his charisma.

It didn't seem like anything could faze him, so what had caused the panic attack? Ami skillfully began leading up to the question when their bowls of rice arrived. "So, Zach…" He faced her with a hopeful glimmer in his eye. "How did you get your car– birthday, graduation or just-because?"

"The first one," he answered while trying to get a grip on his chopsticks. "My family is very wealthy and old-fashioned. I had a huge Sweet Sixteen party and got that car along with some other toys, most of which I sold to get here. My mother wasn't happy about that."

Mina jumped into the conversation by asking, "If you're from New Orleans, how come you don't have one of those funny accents?"

"You're probably thinking of the thick dialects like Yat and Cajun. I'm Creole because my family is descended from French immigrants, but in New Orleans accents can be further broken down based on which area of the city you live in. Back home I have an Uptown accent, which sounds like proper English to you west coasters." He flashed his signature smile-smirk. "Ah kin talk that way if y'all really want me tuh."

Ami shook her head as the others laughed. "Did you drive your car all the way here?" she went on.

"Yes, it was fun once I got to the Rockies. I'd never seen real mountains before. I spent a few days in California, then came up the coast." Zach looked at Ami expectantly, clearly enjoying the chance to talk about himself.

She obliged. "How did you get into theater? What made you want to be a director?"

"You might find this hard to believe, but I like being the center of attention." Nicholas rolled his eyes. "As a kid I was always in the spotlight– singing, dancing, or making up silly monologues for my parents. They took me to operas, plays, and musicals. In high school I wrote scripts for my friends and we acted them out in talent shows, but I knew I wouldn't be satisfied until I made it to a real stage, wherever in the world that may be."

"So why did you come all the way to UW? Why not Tulane or Juilliard?"

The expression she caught was fleeting: Zach closed his eyes and the corners barely crinkled in pain, then he smiled coldly the next minute. "Girls like you can be so disarming. I forget some of you actually have brains in your pretty little heads."

Ami's jaw dropped at the patronizing remark, but she closed it a moment later upon realizing that this wasn't the first time his personality had done an abrupt one-eighty without reason. With Jerk Zach in control her verbal offense was armed and ready. Thankfully their food arrived before she had to utilize it.

* * *

Rei drove around the city when she was bored. Her Acura got decent mileage and there were still many areas she had yet to explore, but as she returned from Ballard she recalled that Makoto had told her to stop by the restaurant where she worked if she wanted a taste of home. Rei entered Amabie into her GPS and followed the new route east, speeding along rain-slicked roads. Driving was just one perk of living in the USA instead of Japan: she didn't have to wait until she turned twenty to get a license.

Once seated at the bar she ordered crab sushi, temaki rolls, and a Ramune. There were a few other people in the restaurant including a table of four with three pots of tea, which she thought odd. The two Japanese girls explained what each item on their giant platter of food was to their dates, one large boy and one skinny boy. The light-haired girl looked a little familiar but Rei couldn't recall where she'd seen her.

"I _am_ going home! This is the last batch!" someone shouted. The doors to the kitchen swung open and Makoto came out holding a tray of daifuku. Rei waved her fingers and she wandered over, setting the tray on the counter. "Hi! I thought we were going to hang out tomorrow!"

Rei's sweater-covered shoulders rose and fell. "I was hungry, and you were right. This food reminds me of a little place in Shibuya."

"We're all from the motherland back here, so of course everything tastes authentic!" Through the plastic windows Rei could see a middle-aged man and a very old woman working on a few last-minute orders. The boy who had prepared her sushi appeared their age, and he towel-whipped Makoto so she'd get back to work. "Don't make me hurt you, Ryo!"

He chuckled and disappeared around the corner. Makoto rolled her eyes while she stocking the daifuku. "How much are those?" Rei asked. "Do you have kiwi?"

"You bet!" the brunette grinned. "They're only a dollar. How many do you want?"

"Just one…" Rei bit her lip as she took in all the other decadent treats in the display. "And that slice of chocolate cheesecake." After Makoto slid the desserts her way she was remiss to cut into the cheesecake; it just looked so _pretty_, but her sweet tooth won out. The first bite melted in her mouth and she made a sound of pleasure. "The world needs to know about this cake," she remarked.

Makoto was beaming. "I'm glad you like it. The secret is fair-trade Venezuelan cacao. That way you can feel good about eating it."

"I think I'd feel good regardless of—" Rei was interrupted by a clamor from the entrance. She turned to see Makoto's roommate and the dark-haired boy. They were both dripping wet.

"What the hell, you guys?" Makoto said as she ran out from behind the counter. "Did you fall into the lake or something?"

"We missed the bus here and had to walk a few blocks," Usagi answered. Her denim jacket and white pants were thoroughly drenched.

Makoto raised an eyebrow. "You missed the bus? What were you doing that made you miss the bus?"

Usagi gulped at her accusatory tone. "We were playing Smash Bros! It's easy to get sucked into that game!" Her friend's expression didn't change. "Honestly! Michiru-san was there the whole time. We weren't _alone_ or anything."

Mamoru briskly nodded in agreement, but Makoto's lips just curled into a sly smile. "It's okay, I believe you. I just think it's funny that you were really trying to convince me." That comment earned her a light slap on the arm before the new arrivals sat down beside Rei.

"Hi!" the blonde chirped. "I'm Usagi."

"I know, I saw you at Nordstrom," Rei coolly returned.

"And this is Mamo-chan! I mean, Chiba Mamoru."

Rei smiled at the cute nickname. Ryo, the sushi chef, amalgamated some leftovers into a few interesting varieties of sashimi, with generous amounts of wasabi for Rei. Mamoru preferred ginger on his and Usagi forsake everything for a big bowl of udon with teriyaki beef and chicken.

The older lady came out of the kitchen and smiled at them all. "See if your friends can come by every day, Makoto-chan. That way none of our food will go to waste!"

Usagi sighed dreamily at the thought. "As awesome as that would be, I'm afraid we can't. We all have classes."

They chatted about AI, UW and Bastyr until it was officially closing time. As they gathered purses and shrugged on jackets, Rei noticed the table of four hadn't left yet, though they had successfully cleared the huge platter. She really wished she could place the blonde girl's face in her memory. _'Wait a minute…'_

Rei took a good look at Usagi, even lowering her sunglasses to stare at her. Usagi turned her way and frowned at the intensity of her chestnut-colored eyes. "What? Is there something in my teeth?"

"No," Rei answered, "it's just that you look eerily similar to that girl." She nodded at the copper blonde putting on her long coat. Mamoru faced her as well and frowned a little.

"You're right… They have extremely similar facial features."

"Is she your long-lost twin or something?"

Usagi stared too and slowly shook her head. "No way, I'm an only child. But her lips are wider than mine, you guys."

"The resemblance is still uncanny," Mamoru remarked. It was just too weird to be a coincidence.

The three of them watched the other group leave, but the large auburn-haired boy paused halfway to the exit and came back to the dessert case. Usagi felt a huge grin splitting her lips. Her scheme had worked.

* * *

"Hi, Makoto. I thought it was you back there." Nicholas rested on the counter and smiled at her. Her mouth dropped open and she blinked in amazement, but the expression vanished the next instant, replaced by irritation.

"Usa-chan! You told him where I work?!"

"How would I have done that, Mako-chan?" Usagi innocently retorted.

"I don't know! Maybe you got Chiba-san to find him for you! I can't believe you'd do something so… so… sneaky!" She could feel her anger rising at her friend's smug little grin, which she decided to focus on Nicholas. "So _your_ group was the one who ordered the matsuri special? I could have Jessica revoke that discount, you know. You're not my family _or_ my friends."

Nicholas raised his hands in alarm. "Hey, I didn't know you even worked here. Someone emailed that promo to me. Utsukino at…" He trailed off and looked at Usagi, everything suddenly falling into place. Her blue eyes were wide open and her smile threatened to tear her face.

Zach came up behind his roommate. "Did I hear there's something wrong with the coupon he used?" He flashed a platinum credit card and frowned at Nicholas. "I told you to just let me pay."

"No, it's fine…" Makoto sighed. She was mad at Usagi, not these innocent patrons. "I hope you enjoyed everything. Have a nice night." Without a further word to her friends she disappeared into the back of the kitchen.

Zach stowed his wallet and gave the trio standing nearby a quick once-over, but rubbed his eyes upon seeing a short-haired version of Mina, who was supposed to be outside. Her outfit was different, too. "Whoa…" he breathed in awe, stepping closer to Usagi. "Are you her twin?"

"I'm nobody's twin!" she exclaimed. "That girl you were with looks nothing like me!"

"Yes she does," Zach, Mamoru and Rei chorused. "Hang on, I'll get her," the blond boy added. He jogged out the door and came back with Mina. "Ta-da!"

Mina froze at the sight of her doppelganger. Usagi stared right back, the full-on view confirming that they indeed looked very similar. They took slow steps toward one another until they were only six inches apart. "This is freaky," Mina muttered after several silent minutes.

"I know," Usagi said. "What's your name?"

"Aino Minako."

"I'm Tsukino Usagi. I moved here from Tokyo to go to school."

"Me too… How strange."

"Yeah…" Usagi examined her outfit, which was very trendy. "You like fashion?"

"Oh yeah," Mina smiled. "What kind of music do you like?"

"Bemani, eurobeat, that sort of stuff."

"Omigod, me too!" They grinned at one another. "Do you play any sports?"

Usagi shook her head. "Not unless DDR counts as a sport."

Oh well. Mina still felt herself glowing on the inside, like she'd encountered a long-lost sibling. She wanted to find out just how similar she and Usagi really were, and to that end the group of eight went for a walk in Washington Park even though it was closed. Nicholas hoisted them all over the gate before climbing it himself.

Ami and Rei hung back together, the outsiders among their respective quartets. The latter had examined the newcomers' auras and found Ami's to be true blue, Mina's yellow, Zach's bronze and Nicholas' a dark red. Usagi's still hadn't changed from the first time she saw her.

"This is all very strange…" Ami mused. "What are the odds of two people who look so similar yet aren't related in the same city, much less the same restaurant on this exact night?"

"It _is_ odd," Rei agreed, "but I believe it's just a very well-timed coincidence. It makes sense when you consider that we're all here because of what happened in Tokyo. The last census said there were around ten thousand people who moved to Seattle."

Ami nodded but she didn't agree in coincidence; she thought everything happened for a logical reason. "If I hadn't gotten my scholarship I would have stayed there. It was my mother who convinced me to go to UW, really."

"What does she do?" Rei asked.

"She's a brain surgeon. I wanted to follow in her footsteps so I chose to become a neurogeneticist. Mostly I'm studying Alzheimer's." She then smiled at Rei. "I heard you're interested in naturopathic medicine."

"Yes, I'm going to become an acupuncturist. The degree also includes instruction in Chinese medicine, but I feel the only reason why it's so highly regarded is because their society has been able to experiment with natural remedies for several thousand years. Every culture had their healers, so I study global medicinal practices in my free time."

"Perhaps we could collaborate, then. My research is all about discovering what hasn't been thoroughly tested, and naturopathic studies are largely dismissed. That's going to be the subject of my dissertation."

"Sounds interesting," Rei said. "I'll do some reason and send you my findings."

Makoto walked in a line with Mamoru, Zach and Nicholas, listening to the nonstop chatter from the blondes ahead of them. It was apparent that Rei and Ami were engaged in their own meaningful conversation, but the four of them had nothing in common. She sighed, breaking the silence, and said what was bothering her before she regretted it. "Sorry I threatened you about revoking that coupon." Nicholas angled his head toward her. "It's just that Amabie is a family business, you know? And the matsuri special is a lot of food for forty bucks."

"I get it," Nicholas said. "You'd go out of business if everyone used it."

Makoto smiled. "You're pretty smart for a jock."

"He's not just a jock," Zach cut in, "he's going to become an engineer." He sounded so proud as he said it, earning a surprised look from his roommate.

"What kind of engineer?" Makoto questioned.

"Civil. Buildings, bridges, highways, that kind of thing." He glanced at Zach again, who gesticulated for him to keep talking. "After getting my degree I want to return home and contribute to the mining clean-up. There was this gold rush in the eighteen hundreds, you see…"

Mamoru found himself clinging to the story Nicholas told. He knew nothing of South Africa, much less Johannesburg itself, but had heard of Apartheid, which was a major reason why some of the rural black communities were in danger of the mine's residue. Thanks to erosion, heavy metals that had been brought to the surface along with gold were leaching into streams people on the outskirts drew water from, and there was growing concern that the toxic elements would poison the aquifer providing most of the city's water.

"So how are you going to stop it? The leaching, I mean," Makoto asked when the history lesson was finished.

"I have one idea," Nicholas said. "Ever hear of carbon nanotubes?" Everyone shook their heads. "They're pretty amazing. One simple way to use them is as a filter, so even installing them in faucets will make a big difference. But toxins aren't only in the water. I want to design a purification system for the whole city, one that'll cleanse the air as well." His eyes lowered to the ground and he smiled sheepishly at his big dreams. "If I end up failing, though, there's still infrastructure to improve."

Mamoru found himself muttering a proverb the Benefactor was fond of: "Amadare ishi wo ugatsu."

"What?" the other boys asked in unison.

Makoto giggled. "It means 'drops of water will wear down a stone', as in don't give up."

"Ah, right," Zach said, rolling his eyes. "You Asian people are just full of wisdom, aren't you?" He found himself falling sideways as Nicholas hip-checked him.

"Don't be an ass. It's good advice." He nodded at Mamoru, who shrugged in return.

It was past ten by the time they returned to the gated park entrance. After Nicholas had helped everyone get back over, they walked in silence to the cars waiting in Amabie's lot. "I can drive you home," Rei suggested to Usagi and Makoto. They chose her warm vehicle over the bus they had to walk several blocks to get to.

"And Mamoru-kun can come with us," Mina said, looking at Zach, "since we're all going to the same place." He slipped into the back with her and Ami as Nicholas rode shotgun. The two groups waved at one another and although nobody said it aloud, there was a sense that they would all be together again quite soon.


	5. Full Focus

**Chapter Five: Full Focus**

Mamoru awoke to a message on his house phone. It was from the Benefactor, and hearing his cold, controlled voice asking Mamoru to call him back made a nervous sweat break out in his palms. Although the man didn't sound angry about the cell phone, Mamoru knew he was annoyed that he hadn't been consulted first. He generally asked permission before making large purchases.

He called the Benefactor from his new BlackBerry. "Hello, Mamoru-san," the man said. "This is a different number than the one I dialed earlier."

"Yes, it's my mobile number."

"What made you decide to join the modern world?"

Mamoru floundered for a second. He hadn't expected a question like that. Should he lie and say he bought it to keep in contact with his professors and classmates? "I bought it to… talk to a girl."

The other line was quiet for a moment. "Tell me about her," the Benefactor said.

"Um…" He hadn't expected to hear that, either. "She doesn't go to UW. She's at the Art Institute."

"A creative girl?" He sounded intrigued. "How did you meet her?"

"At a restaurant near campus. She just came over and started talking to me."

"And have you kept seeing her?"

"We hang out quite a bit." Mamoru knew the Benefactor wouldn't approve of him playing video games and didn't elaborate.

"I see," the man said after a brief pause. "I hope she doesn't become a distraction. You've been maintaining a 4.0 GPA and I would hate to see all your hard work go to waste."

"It won't, I promise," Mamoru reassured. Now that he had the man's approval of Usagi and the phone, he felt emboldened. "Onjin-san, I have a rather significant request."

"And what does it entail?"

Mamoru drew in a long breath. "I would like to buy a car."

The Benefactor was aghast. "A _car?_ What do you need a car for? Everything you need is on campus." There was a split second pause. "Do you want it to go see the artist girl?"

"No, actually," Mamoru partially lied. "Just north of campus there's a place I can live for only five hundred dollars a month. If I moved there I would need a vehicle to get to class. Someone I know just left Radford Court to stay there and he said it's very nice. He's a senior studying environmental science." He hoped that would make Joe sound credible.

"And how much am I paying for the apartment you're in right now?"

"Eight hundred a month."

The man didn't say anything for what seemed an eternity. "I'll have to think it over. I wouldn't be saving money because the reduction in rent would simply cover the car payment." Mamoru rolled his eyes; the Benefactor was wealthy enough to buy anything outright. "The payment would help build your credit," he added. "This could be a valuable experience to help you managing personal finances."

"I agree," Mamoru said, hoping he didn't sound too eager. "The phone plan I got is only fifty dollars a month, but if I got a job I could manage it myself."

"No," the Benefactor stated. "Your only job right now is to study." The line crackled a little as he sighed. "This is the one of the longest conversations we've ever had, Mamoru-san. Even though you might not believe it, I care for you very much. I am proud of all that you've accomplished so far, and I don't want anything to stand in the way of all you have left to achieve."

Mamoru was stunned. The Benefactor had never said anything this heartfelt before. "Thank you, Onjin-san," was all he could think to say.

"Before I purchase a vehicle for you, however, you must get your license. There are a few driving schools in the Seattle area. I trust you to handle this efficiently."

"Yes, of course," Mamoru said. It was pretty much confirmed that he was getting a car and a rare giddiness filled him.

"Call me once you pass the test." With that the Benefactor hung up. Mamoru almost let out a whoop, but he had another call to make. He dug through the papers on his counter to find the phone number Joe had given him.

"Ello?" asked a voice he didn't recognize.

"Uh, hi. Is Joe Levin there?"

"One sec." Mamoru cringed as the voice bellowed not far from the receiver. "Joe! Some bloke on the phone for ya!" This person was Irish, he noted.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Joe, it's Mamoru Chiba. You gave me this number just before you moved."

"Ah, Chamoru! What do you need?"

"I was wondering if you could do me a big favor."

"What kind of favor?" Joe asked nervously.

"I need you to teach me how to drive."

"Oh, is that all? I thought you were going to ask me to help you bury a body or something." He gave a hearty laugh that Mamoru didn't share. "Sure, no problem. I've been driving since I was about eight. My father was a mechanic, you know." He didn't know but hummed in agreement. "Well, there's no time like the present. Are you free today?"

"I suppose so…"

"Great! I'll be in the parking lot around noon. Make sure to eat something that won't make you nervous. I don't want you upchucking in my rig." Mamoru agreed to the terms, then Joe made an addendum. "Kaelan's coming too, he has a Maserati."

"Oh, okay." Mamoru wondered what the significance of Maserati ownership was. "The more the merrier, I guess."

Joe laughed again. "You sound nervous already! Don't worry, learning stick isn't as hard as everyone says. You'll be driving like a boss in no time, I guarantee it!"

They said goodbye and hung up. Mamoru then relaxed on his tiny sofa, feeling proud of himself for being so assertive. He had set life-altering changes in motion all before ten a.m.

* * *

Ami glanced at her watch and sighed irritably. "Will you stop that?" Mina chided. "He's only five minutes late."

The short-haired girl didn't feel like mentioning how important punctuality was to her. She was more irked by the fact that she assumed Mamoru regarded it as important, too; they had only hung out a few times, after all. But he had a brand-new, perfectly functioning phone, so the least he could have done was text to let them know he was going to be late for their coffee date. She could tell that Mina was also annoyed. She had spent more time than was reasonable deciding which beverages would make Ami and Mamoru's first Tully's experience enjoyable.

A loud vehicle came to a screeching halt outside the café. Mamoru got out of the driver's seat and the boy from the passenger side gave him a slap on the back. A third boy followed them inside and went straight to the counter to order something while Mamoru slid into their booth. "Hi girls, sorry I'm late."

"Did you _drive_ here?" Ami asked incredulously.

He nodded and the buzz-cut boy chuckled. "Not bad for your first time behind the wheel, although you need to remember that it takes both feet to drive a manual." He smiled proudly.

Mamoru then gave Ami a guilty look. "I'm sorry I didn't call to tell you why I was late. I'm getting a car soon but I don't quite know how to drive, so I asked these two to give me a lesson. This is Joe Levin," Joe bowed his head while Mamoru twisted around, "and that's Kaelan Burke."

"Nice to meet you," Ami and Mina chorused. The latter went into flirting mode, leaning toward Joe and holding his verdant gaze. "You look like an athlete. I've never seen you in the sports center, though."

"That's because I only play fütbol recreationally. Most of the time I'm working on the final project for my environmental horticulture degree."

"So you _are_ a student here," Mina confirmed.

"Yes, and until a couple weeks ago I lived right below this dude." Mina giggled at his pronunciation of the word, wondering if English was his second language. "But now I live with this bloke." He grinned at Kaelan as he sat down in the chair opposite the bench seat.

"Stop trying to mimic me," Kaelan said, taking a sip of cappuccino. He gazed upon them all with calm authority, as if he was in complete control of the situation. When his cool grey eyes landed on Mina she felt herself being silently judged, and for some reason she couldn't look away. She could hear the conversation continuing around her but it was muted, like her ears were full of cotton.

_"Minako…"_ someone whispered. She tried looking away from Kaelan to find the speaker only to realize with mild shock that _his_ lips were the ones moving. "Minako," he said again.

"I didn't tell you my name," she whispered back. No one else took notice of their exchange.

"I know you didn't, but I already knew it." His low voice made her shiver.

"Did Mamoru tell you he was meeting us here?" Kaelan shook his head. "Then how—?"

"Mina-chan? Are you all right?' She blinked rapidly to focus on Ami's hand in front of her face. "You spaced out for a moment. Maybe you need coffee more than Mamoru-san and I."

"Maybe I do," she answered, forcing a smile. Mamoru and Joe were wrapped up in their own conversation about cars and Kaelan was staring at the table as if the weird moment between them hadn't happened. Shaking her head slowly, she slid out of the booth and went to order a few beverages. Her phone trilled a minute later.

**"Busy today?"** Zach texted.

Mina looked back at the table. Everyone was now discussing emissions and global warming. **"Not really,"** she replied, **"just having coffee with Ami, Mamoru, and two of his friends."**

**"He has friends? Are they even cool?"**

**"I suppose so. They're cute at least."**

**"I see. I was wondering if you wanted to fill in for one of the actors today."**

Ah, acting. Before Mina got serious about her grades and decided to focus on volleyball, she wanted to be an idol. She would have been a triple threat– a singer, actress and model. She was a soulful alto and could deliver a convincing monologue, but because of her coppery hair, no modeling agency would hire her. They thought she would be a "risky asset" even though she explained that her tanned skin and orange locks were from being outside so much. They hadn't even noticed her athletic figure, dismissing her based on a stereotype.

"Let's go to the theater," she said to Ami during a lull in the conversation. "Zach needs my help with something."

"Did you not hear us?" Ami returned. "We're going to the Burke Museum so Kaelan can see why they named it after his great-great grandfather."

Mina's gaze darted to the pale boy. He was handsome, but unlike Joe there was nothing warm or inviting about his features. Kaelan hadn't looked at her since their weird moment yet he gave Ami his undivided attention. Maybe he was enamored by her.

Mina denied the invite to go to the museum and surreptitiously took a picture of Kaelan as they all stood up to leave, everyone but her piling into the small SUV. Ami was still engaged in their discussion and barely gave the blonde a wave, like Mamoru and his buddies were her new best friends. The world had surely turned upside-down if Ami was choosing them over her, but then Mina realized she was probably still miffed about how Zach had acted at Amabie.

She opened the theater's heavy main door and was presented with a lush, dimly lit forest scene. There were three actors on stage and Zach was sitting in the front row beside a balding older man. Everyone looked at Mina when the door achingly groaned shut. "Take off your coat and hop on stage," Zach said, his hazel eyes glittering. Mina knew a look of relief when she saw one. As she descended the aisle the old man held up a packet of papers that she grabbed without pausing.

The actors all muttered hellos and she introduced herself. "This scene isn't very long," said a baby-faced boy, quietly since Zach and (she assumed) his professor were speaking. "I'm Schmendrick the Magician."

"I'm Amalthea the Unicorn," said a dark-skinned girl with long braided hair.

"And I'm Ruhk the Henchman," said a tall tattooed boy. Mina skimmed the script and discovered that she was filling in for the role of Mommy Fortuna the Witch, and she would be killed by a Harpy at the end. This was Act 1, Scene 3 of _Eternal Heart_, a new adaption of _The Last Unicorn_ by Peter S. Beagle. The title sounded familiar to her but she didn't know why.

She and Amalthea had the most lines in the scene while Schmendrick mostly performed carnival tricks (the freshman actor could actually juggle) and Ruhk lurked in the background. The girl playing the Unicorn was very good; she remained stoic in the face of Mommy Fortuna's threats and didn't panic as Schmendrick tried helping her escape the Midnight Carnival, though most of his spells backfired. Zach mostly yelled directions at the male actors, and practice ended after an hour and a half.

"What happened to the actual Mommy Fortuna?" Mina inquired as they left together.

"She caught the flu. I told her not to come in because I didn't want her infecting the rest of the cast, not to mention me or Professor Sinclair." He wanted to get coffee, and because Mina hadn't had the chance to enjoy hers she agreed to accompany him back to Tully's. Suddenly his face lit up. "I have the prop department designing puppets for the Harpy and the Red Bull. It's going to be so great at the end of that scene when Mommy Fortuna stands at one end of the stage and it comes swooping down on her as the lights dim and the curtain closes. _I held you!_" Zach shouted, flinging his arms wide.

Mina giggled at his exuberance. "When is the presentation date?"

"We're going to try for January. Unlike the movie there's no singing, so we have to convey Amalthea falling in love with Prince Lir through all-new dialogue. I'm still debating whether or not they should have a whole scene to themselves."

"Is that really your decision to make as the assistant director?"

Zach nodded once. "This adaption was my idea. That's what gave me the panic attack, actually. When Sinclair told us he'd chosen my script, I freaked out." Mina tilted her head in question. "I was overwhelmed by the thought of everyone hating it because there's never been a stage adaption of _Two Hearts_ before, which is the novella sequel to _The Last Unicorn_. I wasn't sure Sinclair would go for it, but here we are."

"And your panic attack was the night we went out for sushi…" Realization dawned on Mina and she gasped. "Ami was reading that book just before we met up with you!"

Zach shrugged. "She probably heard about the play and wanted to read the original source material. Lots of people do that." Although he said it, he had never seen Ami with a high fantasy novel in her hands before; he'd assumed she wasn't into that genre. Maybe she was only reading it so she could see the play and critique it because she was that kind of person. Zach's adaption was completely faithful to the original, however, so she would be hard-pressed to find fault.

Mina's chiming phone interrupted his musings. Her eyes narrowed at the text message. "Ami thinks you and Nicholas should meet Joe and Kaelan. The rich boy is offering to take everyone to Old Spaghetti Factory for dinner."

"I haven't been there, and my roomie isn't one to deny free food." A smile twisted his lips. "And I'd like to speak to Mamoru about something."

"About what?" Mina asked. His expression was a little unnerving.

"I want to know how a geek like him can be surrounded by hot girls! Usagi, Rei, and Makoto are way out of his league!"

Mina just sighed and rolled her eyes.

* * *

**"I'm moving off campus."**

**"Oh really? Where are you going?"**

**"Shoreline. I'll be living in a mansion for less than the cost of this apartment."**

**"But I never even got to see it."**

**"You aren't missing anything. This mansion has separate rooms for everything, and there's even a conservatory and an indoor pool."**

**"And you'll be living with those guys you told me about?"**

**"Right, plus two more. Zacharie and Nicholas are moving in too. Zach's parents can afford it and Kaelan made a deal with Nicholas. He gets to live there for free if he installs some energy-efficient technologies."**

**"Wow, lucky him! It's like you guys will have your own frat house."**

**"We agreed to keep the partying to a minimum, but there's going to be a celebration once we're all moved in. I was actually wondering if you and Makoto wanted to go shopping with us for furniture and stuff. Your apartment looked so great, and none of us have an eye for design."**

**"Oh Mamo-chan, I don't know if we can decorate a whole house! You guys probably all have different tastes!"**

**"I have faith in you, Usako."**

She smiled at her new nickname and didn't text back just yet. "Mako-chan! How do you feel about interior designing for a mansion?"

"Are we getting paid?" she shouted from the kitchen.

"Probably not, but it's a _mansion!_ And it sounds like we get to do whatever we want!"

The brunette stuck her head around the corner. "Whose mansion is it?"

"The guy's name is Kaelan and Mamo-chan is moving in with him. So is Nicholas." Makoto quirked an eyebrow. "So are you up for it?"

"Sure, as long as none of them tell us what to do." Her teeth flashed before she returned to her cooking.

**"Mako-chan says she'll help. When do you want us there? And where is this place? I need to plan a bus route."**

**"No need, Kaelan will pick you up. This is all happening next Friday. While Zach, Nicholas and I get our stuff moved, you two can take a tour of the house and figure out what it needs. Then we'll all head downtown for food and shopping."**

**"Okay, sounds like fun. See you then!"**

* * *

Kaelan's pewter Maserati turned heads as it rumbled along the waterfront. The attractive vehicle was the first thing he'd bought himself after becoming the official owner of the Burke Mansion. He'd always been envious of exotic cars passing through Kinsale, wondering what kinds of people were situated behind the tinted windows. What did driving mean to them? Some people owned expensive cars just because they could, but others genuinely enjoyed the experience. Kaelan fell into the latter camp, and there were plenty of twisty roads in western Washington to get his adrenalin flowing.

But downtown Seattle was not such a place, especially during the rush before a ferry came in. Thankfully Kaelan wasn't going that far. He saw a parking space in front of Elliott Apartments and swung into it. As he stepped out, a young woman stopped and stared. Kaelan flashed a confident smile, making the woman blush and resume walking. The same look didn't quite work on the girl who answered the door he knocked on.

"So you're the rich boy," Makoto said, giving him a once-over.

He bowed slightly. "Kaelan Burke. Pleased to make your acquaintance." Makoto stepped aside and he entered the apartment. "Mamoru was right about this place, it's very elegant. All your doing?"

She shrugged. "Mostly mine and Usagi's, except the plants. I take care of those."

"You'll have to work with Joe in the conservatory, then. He's trying to cultivate tropical foliage."

Makoto nodded before shouting, "Usa-chan, hurry up! We're leaving!"

"Hang on! I can't find my other boot!" Usagi ran through the next room, giving Kaelan a glimpse of purple tights beneath a miniskirt and a chunky sweater. He glanced at Makoto and wondered why Mamoru wanted her style advice when she was dressed rather plainly in jeans, sneakers, and a bolero jacket. She had an attractive physique, though. The blonde returned, smiling broadly at Kaelan. "Okay, let's go! How far is your place?"

"About twenty minutes, more if there's traffic."

"There's always traffic," Makoto muttered from ahead.

Kaelan smirked a little. "That's true, but my car is a ninja." She looked back with a raised eyebrow. "It's fast is what I mean. You'll see." He guided the agile vehicle through northbound traffic, the car's exhaust echoing off tightly-packed suburban houses. Kaelan glanced into the rearview mirror and saw Usagi smiling as the G-force sucked her into her seat, and Makoto looked like she enjoyed the trip as well. To finish the ride he zipped into his driveway, throwing fresh gravel, and slid to a stop. The girls giggled while stepping out.

"Welcome to my home," he said, leading them inside. They spoke to one other in Japanese during long tour that ended in the great room containing three old yet sturdy leather couches, a threadbare rug and a portrait of Thomas Burke above the fireplace.

"We really like the carved wood," Usagi said, "especially the crown molding. The floral details are great. We agree on a slight Italian Renaissance theme– classic artwork, earth tones, brocade patterns, maybe some mosaics on the walls."

"Since the whole house has antique brass fixtures, we think burgundy and maroon will be the main colors. All jewel tones will look good, though."

"And we can find furniture and such that match the wood, which will make the whole house seem dark, but blown and stained glass lighting will brighten it up a bit," the blonde added.

Kaelan bowed his head in acceptance. "It sounds like this house is in more than capable hands."

* * *

Rei rarely received anything of interest in her mailbox, but toward the end of October she found a big envelope sealed with blue wax. She opened it carefully to discover a piece of cardstock with elegant cursive writing and the stamp of a family crest near a signature at the bottom.

_You are cordially invited to a celebration of All Hallow's Eve at the Burke Mansion._

_Please come in costume. The best one will win a prize._

_There will be food, live music, and dancing. The pool will also be available._

_This invitation is for your eyes only. You can burn after reading if you like._

_I sincerely hope you will consider joining us for this eventful evening._

Rei compared the date to her calendar and realized the party was one week away. She looked at the signature again and wondered who Kaelan T. Burke was. A quick internet search turned up a short article in the _Seattle Times_ regarding the inheritance of Thomas Burke's house by his great-great grandson from Ireland, and he now lived in the area.

She read the invitation again and frowned. If she'd met this man she would have remembered him; she was very good with names and faces. That meant he had to be acquainted with someone she knew, and since she didn't have any real friends at Bastyr, she deduced that Makoto was behind it all.

**"About this Halloween party…"** Rei texted, **"I don't like crowds."**

Makoto's reply came quickly. **"It's not going to be crowded at all! Just nine of us, plus you."**

Ten people wasn't very many. **"Is Mizuno-san invited as well?"**

**"Yes, she's coming as Athena." **Rei could go as a goddess, too. In fact, there was one that would be ideal for her. **"It's just a friendly gathering, nothing wild,"** Makoto added. **"I'm only going 'cause Kaelan hired a DJ. Usagi and I love to dance."**

**"I see. What's your costume?"**

**"Lara Croft, Tomb Raider! My outfit is pretty awesome. Usagi made me some replica guns and I have the thigh holsters and everything!"**

Rei could easily picture Makoto as the tough heroine. But there was a contest involved and she hated to lose. After texting her confirmation to attend the party, Rei abandoned her homework and hopped in her car, heading downtown to the fashion center. The costume she had in mind would blow everyone else away. All she needed was an elegant black gown, a few craft tools, and feathers.


	6. Creatures of the Night

**Chapter Six: Creatures of the Night**

"Good news!" Mamoru announced during breakfast. His housemates all eyed him sleepily having stayed up until two in the morning finishing the party decorations. Joe was especially tired since he'd been awake since five a.m. the previous day on an expedition in the Cascade foothills. Kaelan's silk bathrobe was askew, Nicholas' boxers had slid down his backside, and Zach's hair resembled a bird's nest. Unlike the rest of them, Mamoru didn't depend on coffee to function.

Joe glared at him, then glared at the Keurig. "Spit it out," he grumbled.

"The girls RSVP'd. They'll all be here tonight." Everyone instantly perked up.

"What's RSVP stand for anyway?" Nicholas asked while breaking eggs into a frying pan.

"Répondez s'il vous plaît," Zach rasped. His voice was always hoarse first thing in the morning. "And pull up your drawers. I'm tired of seeing your ass crack."

"Then don't look at it," he returned.

"Unless you're queer or something," Kaelan added, earning a snicker from Joe. Mamoru noticed the way Zach's jaw tightened.

"He might be," Nicholas went on. "Have you seen his costume?" Kaelan and Joe shook their heads. "It's black and glittery!" Howls of laughter filled the kitchen and Zach's fair complexion began turning red. "Are you going as a ballerina tonight?"

"Or a showgirl?"

"Maybe a dominatrix?"

Mamoru held up a hand. "Okay, that's enough." He must have sounded more forceful than he thought because Joe bit his lip and returned to his coffee, Nicholas focused on his eggs, and Kaelan regarded him with one pale eyebrow arched high.

"If his skin's too thin to handle a bit of slagging, he'd better move back to the dorms." The look he gave Mamoru was completely glacial, but the blue-eyed boy didn't falter beneath it. Kaelan was the alpha; this was his house so he could do whatever he wanted, including pick on his tenants. As the second oldest, Mamoru's challenge was one he wouldn't take lightly.

"Give it a rest already…" Zach sighed, interrupting their staring contest. "I'm going to shower." He tossed Mamoru a partial smile, receiving a somber nod.

Halloween fell on a Saturday and there were still some things to be done in the room where the party would take place. Kaelan called it the ballroom because it featured a polished wooden floor in a spiral pattern, an antique crystal chandelier, and marble pillars supporting the high ceiling. He had purposely not shown this room to Usagi and Makoto because he wanted them to be impressed during the party. As he was setting up a podium for the DJ, Zach appeared to situate the lights. His short, wavy hair was slicked back with gel. "Going for a new look?" Kaelan asked.

"It's for tonight. I'll be wearing a wig." Zach fiddled with one of the multicolored globes for a silent moment. "My costume is black and glittery because I'm going to be Jareth from _Labyrinth_."

"No shit!" Kaelan exclaimed, startling him. "I love that movie! I love everything by Henson and Froud!"

"Really? You?"

"Bowie is great, and is it so hard to believe that I like faerie tales? I _am_ Irish, you know." His countenance dimmed. "Me mum used to tell me a different one every night. As a kid I got into a lot of fights– my dad wasn't around so I had to prove my manliness, you know? Mum's stories made me think about my actions." He glanced at Zach's interested expression. "This'll sound stupid, but I used to go through the forest hoping to meet a princess who'd take me away to her castle so I wouldn't have to stay in Kinsale."

Zach smiled kindly. "I think everyone wants to run away at some point, but it's easy to do with a child's imagination. When I was young I played dress-up with the neighbor girls. They were damsels in distress and I was their knight in shining armor. Sometimes we even kissed… just a peck on the cheek," he clarified. "One day my mother said it was inappropriate to play around like that. I didn't really understand why until I got older, when I wanted to do more than just kiss girls… But at that age it was simply an innocent reward for saving them from imaginary monsters."

Kaelan nodded. He felt some guilt for attacking Zach's masculinity all the time, but it was hard not to when he was just so _pretty_. He was very slender and had an androgynous face. The only features that gave away his gender were his tone of voice and hairstyle, and possibly the angle of his jaw. But Kaelan had seen women with stronger chins. "Have you ever been mistaken for a girl?" he asked.

Zach gave a short, dry laugh. "No, but I'm sure I would have if I'd grown out my hair. Everyone called me the _cutest_ boy." He climbed down the ladder and carried it to the opposite wall. "It was really bad in high school…" he started to say, but then Nicholas and Mamoru appeared, asking how they could help. Kaelan told them to stock the bar and Zach kept the story to himself.

Nicholas appraised the selection of top shelf liquor. Although he had attended his fair share of wild parties in Joburg, he almost always ended up mixing drinks for other people due to the fact that his mother was a bartender and had taught him well. While he and Mamoru unpacked the bottles, Joe came in from the conservatory and made a beeline for them. "Vodka!" he cheered. "Chopin, Zyr and Double Cross! Nice!" He looked at Kaelan. "Where'd you get this? These aren't common brands."

"I have my sources," Kaelan smugly replied. "Just be thankful that I can afford to give you lads the good stuff."

Nicholas chuckled and pulled out a bright green bottle. "Is this absinthe? Isn't this illegal?"

"Just as illegal as Cuban cigars," he grinned. "It's frowned upon, but not impossible to get. I wanted there to be at least one alcoholic representative from each of our countries. I would've got Van der Hum for you, but I couldn't find it."

Nicholas was so touched that he put a hand on his heart; he hadn't tasted Amarula Cream since leaving home two years ago. After realizing that Kaelan had definitely spent a small fortune on spirits, he and Mamoru very carefully arranged them on the shelves. There were at least two bottles each of tequila, gin, rum and whiskey, and cheaper mixing liqueurs like Midori, Absolut and Baileys.

"There's no way we'll make a dent in all this tonight," Mamoru said once they were done. Truthfully, he never drank to excess and was almost frightened by the thought of losing control. He would sample anything offered to him out of courtesy, but he wasn't going to chug the sake just because it reminded him of home. He wanted to stay sober in case his housemates started getting rowdy.

The DJ arrived at three, and after a sound check the boys regrouped poolside, Kaelan reclining in a chair while Joe and Nicholas rolled up the cover and adjusted the thermostat. "I feel like we're forgetting something," he said. "We got the food, the booze, the decorations, the music…"

Mamoru tentatively raised his hand. "I still need a costume," he said meekly.

"You waited until _now_ to tell us? Thanks for procrastinating!" Kaelan sighed and rolled his eyes. "What are the rest of you dressing up as?"

"Roman soldier," Nicholas said.

"Goblin King," Zach said.

"Male model," Joe said, earning funny looks.

"And I'll be Robin Hood. So who do you want to be?" Everyone stared at Mamoru and he shrugged helplessly, making Kaelan groan. "We can't have a costume party without all of us being in actual costumes!"

Zach hummed thoughtfully as he circled Mamoru, then snapped his fingers triumphantly. "I know! You would make an excellent Phantom of the Opera."

"I have a tuxedo you can use," Kaelan agreed, "but we need the mask."

"I can get one from school." As the assistant director to the upcoming production, Zach had keys to almost all of the drama department's rooms.

Kaelan hopped to his feet. "Then let's go, Pretty Boy. We've only got an hour until the girls are supposed to be here." Zach frowned at his new nickname but followed him out to the garage nonetheless.

* * *

Usagi and Makoto hopped on a bus to the U District, meeting with Ami and Mina so Rei could pick them all up at once. The UW girls were loitering near the bus stop and Mina released a fangirl squeal when she saw Usagi's costume. "You look positively adorable!"

"Thanks," Usagi beamed, "I made it myself."

"No way!" She circled her excitedly, praising the excellent construction and detailing of her Dark Magician Girl costume. They were color coordinated, as Mina wore a white and pink rhinestone cowgirl outfit. "You should really be doing fashion design instead of merchandising!"

Usagi and Makoto shared a look. "We were talking about that on the way here, actually. I've decided to switch majors. It's only the middle of the quarter and most of the credits for the classes I'm already in will transfer to the design degree."

"That's great! I can just picture you with a boutique in Harajuku or Shibuya. You can have a bunny logo because of your name!"

"First I have to pass all the business math courses…" Usagi laughed sheepishly as they dove into a discussion about the best autumn trends ("arm warmers are totally in this year!" Mina said).

Makoto sighed, crossed her arms, and tapped her foot, hoping Rei's bright blue Acura would show up soon. She glared at a pack of boys that whistled at them while Usagi and Mina waved and giggled. She had a feeling the copper blonde could become a negative influence on her friend; Mina clearly wasn't shy about using her body to attract attention.

"You look just like Lara Croft," Ami said, startling the taller girl. "Sorry, I thought you saw me."

"I was just a little lost in thought. I'm sure there's going to be alcohol at this party and I don't want Usagi going overboard. She's a total lightweight." Ami nodded in understanding. "We don't _really_ know any of the guys there so I want to make sure none of them take advantage of her… of any of us. I'll throw a punch if I have to."

Ami could see that she had the musculature to support such an action. "Do you work out a lot?" she asked.

"I jog every day and go to a karate studio sometimes. I'm only a green belt. The dojo I used to train at back home got demolished."

"Oh no, that's terrible. Was your sensei all right?"

Makoto nodded. "He's fine, but to my knowledge he hasn't had the money to open another dojo." She took a better look at Ami, noting how modest her Greek goddess costume was. She was quite pale but had some freckles dotting her nose. "Do you play volleyball like Minako?"

"Definitely not," Ami laughed. "She was almost scouted for the Olympic team! She chose to become a physical therapist instead." She tapped her lips thoughtfully. "I think it may have had something to do with her mother, who became a professional tennis player right after high school. She suffered a lot of minor injuries before she had Mina, and developed sciatica after her pregnancy."

"That's unfortunate," Makoto said. "I don't want to wear myself out before I get old, but I hate just lazing around. I can't play video games or read for hours on end like Usagi." Ami pursed her lips at that; she didn't regard reading as lazing around, she thought of it as brain exercise.

Night had just about fallen when Rei pulled up, the awaiting girls jumping into her car to escape a cold breeze. "Sorry it took so long. Can you believe there's so much traffic on Halloween?"

"People probably have awesome parties to go to, like us!" Mina said. She tried to get a good look at Rei's costume but it was too dark. All she could discern was a feathered black mask and matching dress. Her nail polish and lips were black as well. And come to think of it, hadn't Rei been wearing black when they met at Amabie? Mina thought she pulled off the goth look rather elegantly.

Upon arriving at the Burke Mansion they made some last-minute adjustments to their costumes, then formed a nervous cluster on the front step. Makoto lifted the brass knocker and let it fall. Mamoru opened the door, his cape flaring dramatically and making Usagi yelp. He almost laughed, which would have ruined his character's sinister air, but withheld it and stepped aside, bowing low to welcome them in. Zach then showed them to the ballroom where Nicholas was situated at the bar. "Who's ready for a drink?" he asked, smiling broadly.

Everyone spent the first hour talking and getting to know one another. Much to Usagi's chagrin, only Mamoru was familiar with the character she portrayed; the other boys thought she was some kind of fairy. The guys were more intrigued by Makoto's accurate representation of the Tomb Raider heroine anyway, and took turns dancing with her until Mina barged onto the scene, stealing some of the spotlight with her sensual moves. A buzzed Ami turned out to be quite giggly– she didn't stop laughing as Zach spun her around and around, their costumes in perfect contrast.

Rei omitted herself from the dancing mass, though not entirely by choice. The downside to her tight-fitting gown was that she didn't have a great range of motion. She was stuck sipping the fruity cocktail Nicholas made her until one of the boys extricated himself from the mob, stumbling over Mamoru's cape. Joe's male model "costume" consisted of him wearing a pair of designer jeans and nothing else. Rei surreptitiously admired his abdominals and broad shoulders while he downed several cups of water. After taking a swig of vodka straight from the bottle he leaned against the bar and exuded a long sigh. "Why aren't you out there with us?" he asked.

"Honestly, I can't move very well in this dress. It certainly looks like everyone is having a good time, though."

He nodded idly and gave her another once-over. "I hate to ask, but just who or what are you dressed as? I first thought 'witch' but that didn't seem quite right. You're too elegant."

The girl drew herself up. "I'm the Morrígan, the Celtic goddess of death."

"I see! That makes your costume the most appropriate!" She nodded in agreement. "You might not be able to wiggle around like everyone else, but I bet you can waltz just fine." Joe smiled, holding out his hand. Rei looked slightly shocked by the gesture. "Come on. If you don't know how, just follow my lead."

"I can waltz," she declared, placing her fingers in his palm. After assuming the stance, they began moving to a beat the boy tapped out with his index finger against her waist. It didn't match the music everyone else was dancing to, but Rei no longer heard it as she stayed focused on his gorgeous green eyes. She felt nothing but the connection of their hands and the way his muscles shifted with every sweeping turn.

"Where did you learn this?" Joe wanted to know.

Rei smiled wryly. "I used to dance with my father and the members of his cabinet during formal events. After my mother passed away I became his designated partner."

"He taught you well," the boy remarked. "I was forced to ballroom dance at my Catholic school."

"What was that like?"

Joe sucked his teeth. "Brutal. You know how people like to joke about being beat by nuns? It wasn't a joke at my school. You'd get paddled for even mentioning drugs or sex, unless it was a promise to never engage in such sinful activities." He smiled at her laughter.

"Where did you learn to speak Japanese?" she then inquired.

"I picked it up from one of the mechanics at my dad's auto shop. I'm actually fluent in several languages." Rei tilted her head, looking every bit a curious raven. "I was raised on Russian and Czech. I then learned English, Korean and Japanese. I also speak German and Mandarin."

"So you're a polyglot. What made you want to learn all those languages?"

"Well, China neighbors Vladivostok, my hometown. Korean and Japanese are derived from Chinese so those were fairly easy to pick up. I chose German for my language class in school, and my mother forced me to study English for when I became a big-shot politician." Rei tensed up at that, making their rhythm falter, and he raised an eyebrow. "Are you all right?"

"Yes, sorry… I'm just feeling a little dizzy now. I think it's the fog."

"We can go outside for some fresh air," he offered. "There's a gazebo that overlooks that Sound."

"That sounds nice," Rei smiled, and slipped her hand through his offered arm.

* * *

It seemed that the more inebriated everyone got, the more they reverted to their native tongues. The DJ was glad they were having fun, but he just had to shake his head at the senseless babble of Japanese, English, French, Gaelic and Afrikaans. He had been paid to perform for four hours and when the last song in the playlist arrived, Michael Jackson's "Thriller", he jacked up the volume.

Surprisingly, everyone knew the dance. "How are you doing this right now?" Kaelan shouted to Mina.

"It's a line dance! Line dancing is popular in Japan!" she shouted back, then cheered as Zach showed off a few impromptu moves at the very end. The DJ accepted their exuberant applause graciously and began packing up his equipment while everyone mobbed to the bar. "Where'd Rei 'n Joe go?" Mina asked, giggling at the rhyme.

"If they're around somewhere, it's best just to let them be. They could be getting up to anything." Although slurred, Kaelan's advice was sound enough. "Now we should vote on who has the best costume."

"I vote for Rei!"

"Me too!" Usagi added.

"Me three!" said Makoto. "Hers is the prettiest."

"But she's not here, and Usagi is the cutest," Zach stated. Mamoru simply nodded.

"Ami's is the most historically accurate," Nicholas put in.

"Yours doesn't look bad, either," she returned.

Kaelan threw his hands up in exasperation. "Fine! Everybody fucking wins! Except Joe. He didn't even try."

"He doesn't really have to with a body like that," Mina said, earning giggles of agreement. "Where's this pool that was mentioned in my invitation? I want to cool off!"

Kaelan made a grand sweeping gesture. "Right this way… And someone bring the booze!"

"Oui monsieur!" Zach saluted, gathering random bottles into his arms and following dutifully.

Mamoru was the last to leave the ballroom, but by the time he got to the pool almost everyone had already undressed and jumped in. He shielded his eyes only to realize that he couldn't see anything below the water because of the dark blue tiling. _'Normal boys would be excited to see half-naked girls splashing around.'_ He made himself useful by gathering everyone's costume components and setting them on the patio table. Then he sighed and lay back in a lounge chair, staring at the winking stars visible through the dusty glass ceiling.

He became lost in thought until water splashed his leg. "You're not coming in?" Usagi asked. Her makeup had smudged in such a way that she seemed to have stepped out of a watercolor painting.

Mamoru shook his head. "I figured I'd stay here in case someone needs rescuing."

"What do you think could happen?"

"Well…" A quick survey showed that Nicholas, Zach, Makoto and Ami were playing an inebriated version of basketball. In the furthest corner Mina had her arms up on the ledge and Kaelan trod water in front of her. They appeared to be having a very intimate conversation. "You never know what could happen. I don't want anyone to drown."

Usagi just laughed at him. "I got kicked off the team 'cause I can't reach the bottom, so the least you could do is come over here and keep me company, Mister Lifeguard. I promise I won't splash you."

"You already did," Mamoru pointed out, but he got up and sat down beside her anyway.

She rested her chin on her forearms. "I meant to tell you earlier that that tuxedo looks really good on you. And it seems that playing DDR taught you some decent moves!"

"I was just going along with you… I really am a bad dancer."

"Well it didn't feel bad to me," Usagi returned. "Why are you always putting yourself down?" His mouth opened but the words were halted by her hand falling on his. "You're great, Mamo-chan. You're nice and generous and smart… and something tells me you didn't want to swim with us because you're intimidated by the other guys."

"That's not…" he faltered. Joe hadn't hesitated to show off his physique. Kaelan had lean muscle, Nicholas had bulk, and Zach was more confident than all of them even though he was an approximate women's size four. Mamoru didn't have any definition, and he knew his glow-in-the-dark skin wasn't something girls found attractive.

"You shouldn't care what anyone else thinks," Usagi said as if reading his mind. "Just remember that at least your body is _healthy_. You don't have any scary diseases like the ones you and Ami-chan study." She smiled and kicked off the wall to rejoin the others, leaving him silenced.

Before he could second-guess his actions, Mamoru returned to the table and carefully removed the borrowed tux. He then stood at the edge of the pool in nothing but his dark blue boxer briefs. "Do it, Mamoru!" Nicholas called. Everyone else yelled at him to jump in. After catching Usagi's eye and giving her a smile, he dove into the water.


	7. The Morning After

**Chapter Seven: The Morning After**

Ami woke up suddenly after it felt like she had swallowed her own tongue. She blinked rapidly to focus her vision, and then she realized her throat was extremely dry. There was a convenient glass of water and some aspirin on the nightstand. _'Whose bed is this?'_ she wondered. She turned over and saw long black hair strewn over the other pillow. "Rei-chan?"

Rei mumbled something before her eyes opened. "Good morning, Ami-chan."

"What happened? I know I didn't drink _that_ much last night."

The other girl laughed a little. "You didn't. I was outside talking with Joe and by the time we came back, everyone was asleep. I figured since this bed was so huge we could share."

"Must be a guest room," Ami reasoned. "We should probably see if the others are still here." When she lowered her feet to the floor she realized she was wearing pants and a loose t-shirt. "Whose pajamas are these?" she asked in even greater confusion. Rei only shrugged.

Ami tried hard to recall last night's sequence of events. She remembered having a melon-flavored cocktail, dancing like an idiot with Zach (_'never again'_ she thought), doing the "Thriller" dance, then messing around in the pool. If not herself, who had dressed her in dry clothes?

A triangular window across the room shed sunlight on a staircase, but upon descending it they found themselves in a long, wide hallway with multiple doors. "Should we open them?" Rei whispered. It was fairly early in the morning.

"I don't know…" Ami didn't want to walk in on a sprawling naked boy.

"I'll check," Rei decided, and opened the nearest one to discover a linen closet. The adjacent door had a coat hanging from the back of it that she recognized as Mamoru's. A plethora of plants indicated the next room as Joe's, and the one after that was Zach's; Rei saw theatrical posters on the walls and a shelf overflowing with books. The door directly across from his opened up to a bathroom. "This is larger than my dorm room!" Ami exclaimed.

They pressed on, happy to find yet another set of descending stairs. For curiosity's sake, Rei popped her head into the room just to the left of them and easily discerned Nicholas' bulk in the bed. "The others must be below us somewhere," she reasoned.

"Wait, there's one more." Ami pointed past the stairs to a set of double doors.

When Rei tugged on the handles they didn't budge. "It's locked. Now let's figure out the rest of this place."

The stairs deposited them in a great room with a vaulted ceiling. Three long couches formed a U shape around the fireplace, and two of them held sleeping female forms. Makoto's hair hung over the arm of one couch and Usagi's head was sandwiched between two pillows on another. The brunette groaned like a zombie when Ami patted her shoulder, her eyes opening laboriously. "Ugh… What time is it?" A throbbing headache answered her and she brought a hand to her temple.

Ami fished the aspirin from her pocket; she hadn't drank enough to have a hangover. "Take this," she said, handing Makoto the water from a side table. She wondered who had been considerate enough to leave it. The green-eyed girl downed the whole glass before forcing herself to sit up. Apparently Nicholas' mixed drinks were much stronger than they tasted.

Usagi fought to keep Rei in focus. "You're not wearing those contacts you had last night… or your sunglasses. I've never seen you without them."

"It doesn't hurt my eyes to look at you," she said with a smile.

"What do you mean?"

"Later," Rei answered. "First, let's find out where everyone's clothes went."

The blonde extricated herself from the blankets and swayed once on her feet. "I think there's a laundry room somewhere near the kitchen. Maybe they got washed."

Ami didn't follow them just yet, frowning as she counted on her fingers. "One, two, three… Where's Mina-chan?"

* * *

Kaelan awoke because he was on fire. He sat bolt upright in bed, flinging the down comforter away and kicking off the sheets while gasping for breath. He could feel sweat beginning to dry on his skin, but the room was still incredibly warm. He got up and stumbled over to the window, lifting it to blast himself with November air. Only then did he realize he was stark naked.

"A cold shower might be more effective," said a feminine voice. Kaelan whirled around to find Mina wearing one of his bathrobes and dabbing at her hair with a towel. Her eyes drifted south before returning to his face, and she smirked.

"Why is it so bloody hot in here?" he demanded while retrieving another silk robe from his closet.

"You lit a fire before we went to bed," she answered.

"Before _we_…?" He glanced at the hearth to see the smoldering remains, then a smug smile turned his lips. "I could get used to waking up with you."

"Oh please…" the girl said, rolling her eyes. "We both know this was a one-time thing that only happened because we were completely wasted."

Ouch. Kaelan thought she'd really been interested in him last night, but maybe that was wishful thinking. "We could get back in bed to make it a recurring thing."

Mina scoffed at the suggestion. "No, thank you. Once was quite enough."

His expression fell. Did that mean he had performed badly? He could barely remember bringing Mina up to his room, much less the actual sex. What if it really _was_ bad? She was the first girl he'd slept with since coming to the States. "I guess I'm a little… out of practice," he muttered.

"It's not that," she stated. "We were both so drunk we didn't think to use protection."

"Oh shit…" Kaelan felt his heartbeat increase drastically. He didn't even have condoms in his nightstand. "You're not on the pill or anything?"

"I usually get a Depo shot, but I've been so busy with school that I missed this month's. Don't worry, I'll go get Plan B today."

He nodded slowly, a little stunned by how calmly she was handling this. What if Mina wasn't aware of her options and just went straight home only to find out in a few months that she was pregnant? Would she have an abortion or give the baby up for adoption? If she kept it, would she ask him for support or attempt to raise the baby on her own? Would she drop out of school?

Thinking about each potential future caused a feeling of dread to well up inside Kaelan. He'd never been so reckless back home. He _always_ used protection because he wasn't ready to become a father just yet. The party last night was just supposed to be a celebration of his favorite holiday, not an excuse to let all his good sense fly out the window. "I'm terribly sorry," he said in earnest.

Mina shrugged and gave him a half-smile. "Don't worry about it. I never expect guys to think about contraception in the heat of the moment."

_'That doesn't absolve of us responsibility,'_ he thought. But since Mina clearly had a plan to deal with their act of lust, he allowed himself to relax. "I'd better check out the damage."

"Yeah, speaking of damage…" Mina indicated his entire bedroom. "What happened to my bra and panties? They were expensive."

Kaelan pressed a hand to his head, forcing himself to remember. "You swam in them, right? Then I think we took turns showering…"

"Let's just go downstairs and ask." She stepped into the hall and Kaelan followed a moment later. As he closed the door behind them he saw Zach exiting the big bathroom. The blond boy noticed them, grinned, and gave Kaelan a thumbs-up. He smiled sheepishly.

Halfway down the stairs, something tantalizing reached his nose. Nicholas was the only one of his tenants who really cooked, but he was definitely still asleep since he'd matched drinks with everyone else. Cinnamon and nutmeg lured him to the kitchen where he found Makoto and Ami standing at the stove and Rei slicing fruit at the counter. "Ohayo," she said to Mina, then greeted the boy in English. He wasn't at all mad that they'd raided the fridge.

"You should go wake up the guys," Usagi said from the cushioned nook. "An epic party deserves an epic breakfast!"

Kaelan simply nodded and trudged back upstairs, barging into Nicholas' room first (since Zach was already awake) and yelling at him to get up. "Whazzat smell?" he rumbled.

"Breakfast. The girls are cooking."

He went "mmm" and the king-size bed creaked slightly as he rolled to the edge, stood up, and gave a mighty yawn. Kaelan entered Joe's room next and shook his exposed foot. "Wake up, breakfast time!"

"Go away," Joe growled.

"You're not hungry?"

He shifted slightly to glare at the landlord. "I've only gotten ten hours of sleep in three days. So fuck off."

Kaelan knew better than to provoke him and retreated back to the hall, wondering if Mamoru would be just as cranky. When he knocked on his door, he answered it fully dressed. "There's food downstairs if you want it," Kaelan said. He still felt sweaty and returned to his master bedroom to shower.

Mamoru was the second least-rested person in the house. After everyone finished messing around in the pool they'd rinsed off, then Zach donated his pajamas for the girls to wear. They all sat around drinking even more until passing out in the lounge chairs. When Joe finally reappeared, he and Mamoru worked to get everyone into bed. Because Nicholas was so heavy they only managed to drag him to a couch in the great room, but he must have woken up at some point and retreated to his abode. "Where did Rei go?" Mamoru inquired.

"She ran home to get something," Joe groggily answered while carrying Ami up to the guest room. He was so exhausted that Mamoru told him to go to sleep while he stayed up to gather all the soaked undergarments and leave aspirin and water on the side tables. He doubted anyone would thank him in the morning.

When Mamoru entered the kitchen he was surprised to find a buffet of pancakes, bacon, eggs, toast and fruit waiting on the island. The girls were all standing around in their borrowed pajamas, but they looked significantly more attractive in the morning than his housemates, of which Zach and Nicholas were the only ones present. "Was it you who washed the ladies' unmentionables?" the former asked.

"Yes, I did."

"Thanks for that," Mina said, "but for future reference, you should always dry lingerie on low heat."

Mamoru blushed, knowing he would never again handle four pairs of panties (one of them being a thong), a silk slip, a camisole, a bandeau and a satin demi bra. He blushed even harder as he tried to remember which garments belonged to each girl.

"I guess after this we'll head home, freshen up, and give your PJs back," Usagi said.

"Or you can change here," Rei replied. "I went to my apartment to get clothes for you all."

"That was considerate of you, Rei-chan," Ami smiled, then gazed at Mamoru. "And thank you for attending to us. To be honest I was a little nervous about staying in the same house as five boys."

Zach looked up from his plate. "What do you think this is, a house of miscreants? We're perfect gentlemen." As if on cue a belch escaped Nicholas, earning surprised expressions all around. Then Usagi started giggling, her laughter contagious.

"Compliments to the chef," Nicholas said. His face turned beet red, but a glance at Makoto revealed that a tiny smile had turned her lips. Zach then patted him reassuringly on the shoulder.

After they finished eating the girls changed into Rei's clothes, then headed out to her car. Mamoru handed over their costumes and accessories. He waved and watched the Acura leave before returning inside. He felt bad for not eating very much of the feast Makoto had prepared, but he just wasn't that hungry. While he was rinsing dishes Kaelan finally reappeared. "The girls just left," he said.

"Bollocks. I was going to give Rei a gift card for having the best costume, and I wanted Mina's number."

"Why do you need to call her when you already nailed her?" Zach asked. Mamoru and Nicholas dropped their jaws.

"Because… reasons," Kaelan answered. He nibbled on a strip of bacon while staring at the floor. Was Planned Parenthood even open on Sunday? What if Mina couldn't get any emergency contraception and ended up being pregnant? The baby would probably be really cute… Shaking his head to clear such thoughts, he looked at the calendar and saw a starred date. "Mamoru, what'd you do with my tux?"

"It's folded in my room. I can have it dry cleaned if you want."

"It's probably fine. You wore it for, what, five hours? I need it for a charity auction next week."

Nicholas snorted into his orange juice. "Since when do _you_ go to charity auctions?"

"Since I want to contribute to this community," Kaelan declared. "It's an auction for old weapons from around the world. I could end up with a sword that once belonged to a Viking!"

* * *

Kaelan spent several hours getting dressed for the auction; however, when he got to the tie he stared helplessly at his reflection. It was a weekday and he thought his housemates were attending classes, but when he passed Zach's room he heard papers shuffling and peered through the slightly open door. "Hello?"

"Merde!" Zach shouted, spinning in his chair. "Why are you sneaking up on me like that?"

"I didn't think you were here," Kaelan answered, "but to be honest, I could use your help. Can you tie a tie?" He held up the silken emerald green accessory.

"Can _I_ tie a tie?" Zach deadpanned. "I wear at least three a week. What style do you want? Windsor? Pratt? Prince Albert?" Kaelan stared at him blankly and he groaned. "_Every_ man should know how to tie a tie. I'll teach you a really fancy method called the Trinity. Watch carefully…" After a five minute tutorial, Kaelan admired the knot in Zach's full-length mirror. It definitely gave him a regal air and doubled as a nod to his heritage.

His Maserati brought him to the Westin Hotel a half hour before the auction was to start, meaning he had to mingle. He wasn't worried about talking to anyone as much as being ridiculed for his age. Now that his selfish spending was over, he wanted to make a name for himself as a philanthropist. Anyone who read the _Seattle Times_ article about him probably thought he was just an irresponsible twenty-three year-old millionaire.

The room contained just over fifty people. The person closest his age was an archaeologist in her thirties who earned money by selling her finds to museums and collected masks for her personal collection. Kaelan met a man who hoped to win a sixteenth-century katana and another who was interested in Ottoman and Qajar dynasty weaponry. He learned a great deal about most of the items before they even appeared and was consequently excited when the first sword, a Qing dynasty jian, was rolled out.

Kaelan got into an intense bidding war for a Scottish dirk with a stag antler handle from the Middle Ages, but gave up when it reached a hundred thousand dollars. "Next up, we have a sword of unknown origin recently excavated from the Yonaguni ruins off the southern coast of Japan…"

People murmured their disapproval, but one look at the sword and Kaelan knew he had to have it. The blade itself was the most unique thing he'd ever seen. The auctioneer said it had been carved from a single chunk of ilmenite, whatever that was. The sword's composition attracted a few buyers, but they gave up when it reached twenty thousand. "Do we have any more offers? Mr. Burke has the high bid. Twenty thousand going once… going twice…" He banged the gavel. "Sold to Mr. Burke for the price of just twenty thousand dollars! Young man, your personal vehicle would have been a greater contribution to this auction than this item." A few people chuckled at the remark and Kaelan gave his best indifferent shrug before leaving his seat to claim the sword.

He wrote a check, accepted some paperwork for tax purposes, then clung to the wooden case while a valet retrieved his car. During the drive he kept glancing at the rearview mirror to make sure the case was in the backseat, thinking it would vanish by the time he got home. His heart pounded in anticipation; he very much wanted to feel the blade in his hand, to heft its weight and see if the ancient crystal edges had been rendered harmless by time.

"KAELAN GOT A SWORD!" Zach hollered when he entered the foyer, and as he went to the great room he heard footsteps tromping down the stairs. Joe and Nicholas crowded him while he gingerly set the case on a couch.

"This thing is a bit unusual," he warned. "It was found in some underwater Japanese ruins and its age is undetermined. It doesn't match anything from Japanese history or any other neighboring cultures."

"Who cares? Just show us!"

Kaelan took a deep breath, unfastened the locks, and lifted the lid. The great room became silent enough to hear a pin drop.

* * *

Mamoru was almost ready to earn his license, but until then Joe picked him up at UW and let him drive home. He was so focused on the road that it didn't occur to him Joe had remained silent the whole way, and when Mamoru glanced at him he was staring straight ahead as if in a trance. "Are you all right?"

"Kaelan bought a sword from the auction," he answered quietly.

"Oh, that's great! What kind of sword? Where did it come from?"

"No one knows… It's sort of a mystery. I've been searching for info online all day but never found anything. Kaelan received a page of research notes but they weren't very helpful."

Now Mamoru was excited to take a look at it. He parked the Samurai in Joe's bay of the garage and found the other three boys seated in the kitchen. They all had cups of hot tea and were bundled up in blankets even though a fire was lit in the great room's hearth. "Where's the sword?" he asked.

An odd thing happened then: Kaelan, Nicholas and Zach faced him at the exact same time, their eyes wide with fear, and Mamoru's expression fell. "What's wrong? Did something happen?"

"Don't touch it," Nicholas said.

"Touch what, the sword?" The engineer nodded. "Is it still sharp or something?"

"Very," Zach answered, extending his arm to show off a red cut.

Mamoru smirked. "Okay, I won't wave it around like you idiots did." No retort came. The three of them just stared at the ripples of tea made by their trembling hands. Now Mamoru was certain there was something very wrong. "Take off those blankets," he demanded. They obliged, but he was only slightly relieved to see that they looked fine. No bruises, no cuts on anyone besides Zach, no slashed clothes…

Then he saw it. Mamoru grabbed both of Kaelan's wrists to bring his hands into the light. On both of his palms were white patches of blistered flesh. Zach's were the same, but only Nicholas' right hand was affected. "How did you get frostnip? It's not cold enough outside for that."

"The sword did it," Joe said from behind. He leaned against the kitchen's entry frame, looking on warily. "Kaelan held it first, then Zach, then Nicholas. Before he handed it to me I noticed what was happening and didn't dare touch it."

"The handle would have to be far below freezing to affect your blood so quickly." He examined their hands again and a shiver went down his spine, like their fear of what had happened was being transferred to him. He felt their foreheads, backs and chests, but their skin temperatures were completely normal. Frostnip didn't usually affect the whole body unless one stood buck naked in a blizzard.

At a loss for explanations, Mamoru asked to see the sword. Joe led him into the great room and pointed at the blade lying on the carpet where Nicholas had dropped it. He knelt beside it and held his hand over the ancient leather-wrapped handle. Just above the crossguard was an enameled upward-facing crescent, the tips curving inward until they met at the fuller. Mamoru became transfixed by the unblemished black crystal blade, his vision tunneling as he stared into its endless facets. The elegant design belied its true power, power he wanted to wield for himself…

A hand suddenly prevented his fingers from taking up the sword and with a gasp Mamoru looked into Joe's face. His expression was a mixture of anger and concern. "Don't they have folktales in Japan, Chamoru? Aren't there legends of objects possessed by evil spirits?"

Rational thoughts returned quickly. "You think Kaelan bought a possessed sword?" The idea sounded ludicrous.

"Maybe not, but there's definitely something weird about it." Joe released him with a sigh. "You couldn't feel any cold radiating off the handle, could you? But somehow the others received ice burns."

Mamoru nodded and backed away from the glimmering blade, but not before grabbing the research notes. "Discovered among the Yonaguni ruins…" he read aloud. "The blade is made from… ilmenite?"

"Yes, ilmenite. It's a weakly magnetic iron-titanium-oxide mineral similar to hematite. Ore is typically ground down and refined for titanium-based applications."

"But the blade looks like it was cut from a single crystal."

Joe shrugged. "That wouldn't have been difficult. It only has a hardness of five to six Mohs, same as feldspar."

Mamoru gazed at him narrowly. "Now you're a geologist _and_ a botanist?"

"Not at all!" he chuckled. "I'm only familiar with minerals because I did a huge research project sophomore year about terraforming the Moon. We were asked to create hypothetical environments. Mine featured Japanese peace lilies because they produce more oxygen than most plants, just like hemp. While researching oxygen production I came across ilmenite. It's a mineral native to the Moon, and if refined on the lunar surface it could provide oxygen for cosmonauts. Also, ilmenite was first discovered in Russia." Joe beamed with pride.

Mamoru sat down to absorb this information. His head spun with theories but none of them were logical. The sword certainly didn't _look_ Japanese, so why had it been in Yonaguni? Some scientists believed the ruins were the site of an ancient, technologically advanced culture due to the construction of the pyramid, which was on-par with Egyptian and Mesoamerican styles. Some believed Yonaguni to be the real Atlantis. Others said it had simply been a structure on an island that sunk into the seabed.

He was so lost in thought that he didn't notice Joe returning the sword to the case until he sucked in a breath and shook his hand. Mamoru jumped up and watched in morbid fascination as a thin white line appeared on his calloused palm and slowly spread outward, claiming every skin cell that had touched the handle. His fingers turned the color of porcelain, but surprisingly no blisters appeared. "Maybe it's more severe the longer you hold it."

"Maybe we should throw it into the Mariana Trench," Joe said seriously. "This could be a reaction to poison that only the wielder knew about. Tomorrow I'm taking everyone to the hospital on campus to see if we've contracted an ancient disease from Pandora's Box."

Although Mamoru laughed, he thought it was a wise decision. How could something so nefarious go up for auction to the unassuming public? Hadn't the archaeologists who found it tested anything but the composition of the blade? "Twenty thousand dollars for something that could end up killing us all…" he muttered, retiring to his room for the night.

* * *

Usagi's dream of showcasing her latest designs at New York Fashion Week was interrupted by a meow. She thought it was part of her dream until she heard a slight thumping. "Mako-chan, is that you?" she whispered. An incomprehensible response came from the other side of the room. After a few minutes there came another meow followed by the shrill noise of claws on glass. Usagi got out of bed and shuffled through the living room, pausing to turn on a light near the sliding glass door.

A pair of bright yellow eyes stared up at her. Usagi squinted and was able to discern the form of a black cat sitting right outside the door. _'It must belong to one of our neighbors,'_ she reasoned, and lifted the lock to let it inside. The cat immediately made figure-eights around her legs. "Well aren't you friendly? What's your name, kitty?" It didn't have a collar or tag. "I guess your owner will know."

The cat laid its ears back at that and Usagi stopped petting it. It wandered around sniffing the coffee table, Makoto's plants, and the sofa, and proceeded to rub its face on everything. Usagi noticed that in place of a tail it only had a short tuft of fur. "What happened to your tail, kitty? Is it supposed to be like that?" The cat looked at her, winked, and trotted around the corner. She followed and gasped as it jumped into Makoto's bed. "Bad kitty!" she whispered, plucking the cat off her comforter. But she had moved too slowly. Makoto mumbled something and sat up, blinking slowly.

"Usa-chan? What was that?" The cat mewed as an answer and she drew back. "Where did that thing come from?"

"It's not a _thing_," Usagi chastised, "it's a kitty, and it was on the balcony."

Makoto switched on her table lamp to examine the feline in her friend's arms. It purred as she scratched its chin, and she noticed it was jet black except for a patch of white fur on its head. It appeared healthy, meaning it likely wasn't a stray, but how had it gotten to the balcony? Their apartment was on the third floor and there was a four-foot gap between railings. She groaned when she checked the time– it was three in the morning. "We can return it to its rightful owner before we go to class tomorrow. It must live around here somewhere."

The cat gave Usagi a rather imploring look that tugged at her heartstrings. "What if it doesn't, Mako-chan? What if it wants _us_ to be its owners?"

"Then you get to buy its food, toys, and litter 'cause I'm too busy to take care of any pets."

"Yay!" the blonde quietly cheered. She knew Michiru would approve of the cat; it was too sweet not to like. When Usagi got back into bed the cat curled up between her arm and the wall, and she pondered a name while stroking its soft fur. "Kuroko? Kage? Hoshi?" The white patched looked more like a crescent moon than a star. "Maybe just… Luna." Yes, that sounded right. "Good night, Luna-chan." The cat purred contentedly as a response.


	8. Under the Sky

**Chapter Eight: Under the Sky**

"Usagi!" The blonde awakened instantly upon hearing Michiru's tone of voice. "What is this cat doing here?"

"Why are you asking me?" she asked, rubbing sleep from her eyes.

Michiru raised an eyebrow. "You're the one with the biggest weakness for animals." She directed her pursed lips at the feline winding around her ankles. "You're lucky she's friendly."

"And cute! I think she looks like a mini bobcat."

"That's because she's a Japanese bobtail, which means she probably belongs to someone nearby. You should ask around to see if anyone lost a cat recently." That was all she had to say on the matter; she grabbed her violin case and left.

Since Usagi couldn't go back to sleep, she made herself some toast with jam and ate it while Luna watched from another chair. When Makoto returned from her jog she tilted her head at how at-ease the cat looked, as if she owned the place already. "Lucky you," she said to Usagi, "I checked the classifieds while I was out and there were no ads for missing cats."

"Oh, that's great! You know I've always wanted a pet, Mako-chan. My mom is allergic to cats and dogs so I only ever had boring fish."

"I don't think fish count as pets," the brunette said while pulling ingredients from the fridge. "They're more like decoration."

"So we should totally keep Luna! She'll be our shared pet."

"I'm fine with her as long as she doesn't jump on me when I'm asleep." Luna apologetically lowered her head, earning a kindly pat. "What did Michiru say?"

"She said I should still ask around…" Usagi's eyes widened abruptly. "But what if someone lies to us and we hand over Luna and they end up abusing her?"

Makoto sighed even though it was a reasonable concern. "We could ask people to describe her. We'll just put her breed, gender, and where we found her. If they don't mention that moon marking we'll tell them to waste someone else's time."

Usagi grinned at the prospect of telling off people with bad intentions. After getting dressed she went to the nearest store to pick up supplies for Luna, even grabbing all-natural cat food to appease Makoto, who believed animals deserved to eat healthy too. She set up the litter box in the bathroom, the food dish at the base of the kitchen counter, and sprinkled a few toys around the living room. Luna only sniffed them before staring up at the girl. "You have to be good today, Luna-chan. You have to make a good impression on Michiru, so no shredding the furniture. Mako-chan will be back before me to keep you company."

Luna meowed as she left, causing a pang of sadness. Usagi just wanted to cuddle her all day even though the cat seemed rather stoic and probably wouldn't appreciate the attention. She hoped that Luna really was a stray; she didn't want her to end up being someone else's cat. She felt Luna _belonged_ with her.

* * *

Midterms were greeted with abhorrence. Mamoru and Nicholas had testing all day, but Joe and Zach were free since they were both working on big projects. Kaelan found them in the conservatory that was now full of exotic fruit-bearing trees, tropical flowers, and water fountains connected to a complex irrigation system. "I think it's time for another party," he declared.

"Don't tell me you want to celebrate Thanksgiving," Zach said. "I'm the only American around here."

Kaelan shook his head. "No, I want to have a star party. The Leonid meteor shower peaks tomorrow night. I thought we could invite the girls again."

"As long as no one passes out by the pool this time. You bastards were heavy." Joe set his pruners down and smiled. "We could throw some pillows and blankets in the gazebo. It has a perfect view of the Olympic skyline."

"Brilliant! This is why I let you live here. Someone text our mates so they can spread the word."

Mamoru's phone chimed just as he handed in his test; his professor raised an eyebrow as he scrambled to silence it. "You're very lucky, Chiba. If that had gone off five minutes ago, I would've thrown you out into the hall."

"Sorry, Professor…" Mamoru bowed and the woman waved him away; he was free for the rest of the day. He checked his phone as soon as he entered the hall.

**"Hey dude. We're having a party tomorrow to celebrate some falling space rocks! Send Usagi and Ami invites, Joe's texting Rei. And Kaelan says us guys have to cook dinner, so get your chef hat on."**

He wasn't sure if Zach was being serious and consulted a celestial events app. Sure enough, the Leonids were ongoing. Now that he was no longer stressed out about midterms, he thought it would be nice to spend some quality time with Usagi. He also couldn't wait to show her his new car.

**"Hey, Usako!" **he texted.** "Would you and Makoto be interested in coming over tomorrow to watch a meteor shower? I understand if you want to rest after all your midterms."**

**"I still have one left, but that sounds fun! I bet you guys have a great view since you're away from all the city lights. Should we bring food or anything?"**

**"We have it covered. Just be sure to dress warm. Oh, and I'll be picking you up this time."**

Mamoru stowed his phone and began the rather long walk to the library. He had to turn up the collar of his jacket to keep a persistent chill off his neck and shoved his hands deep into woolen pockets. _'It might even snow before December,'_ he thought, and wondered if Joe could teach him how to drive safely on ice.

The temperature inside the library was a nice seventy degrees Fahrenheit, but he wouldn't be staying long enough to enjoy it. He spied Ami at the front desk and she looked up when he approached, flashing a smile. "How did your test go?" she asked.

"It went well. I almost got in trouble because my phone went off right when I finished." Mamoru noticed that she was coloring several brain diagrams. "Is that _your_ midterm?"

"Yes. Pretty silly, isn't it? I have to label all the lobes and functions without using notes."

"Well there's the challenge," he said, but he knew it was a piece of cake for her. "We're having a Leonid-viewing party at the mansion tomorrow night. Do you want to come?"

Ami grinned delightedly. "Yes I do! I was just wondering where I could go to watch them since it's much too bright around here. I even convinced Mina to come with me if I found a place." Her expression suddenly hardened, making Mamoru recoil a little. "I don't think she should be around Kaelan, though."

"Why not? We all know they were together… It was consensual, right?"

"Yes, but I had to go with her to get Plan B. Mina told me she hadn't gotten her birth control shot and they didn't use protection." Ami practically glared at him. "Your landlord could have gotten my best friend pregnant."

Mamoru held up his hand. "He doesn't deserve all the blame. They were both inebriated. They both made the decision not to be safe." Now he knew why Kaelan had wanted Mina's number: to see if she'd followed up on getting emergency contraception.

"Yes, but if Mina _had_ gotten pregnant, _she_ would be the one living with the consequences. Kaelan is five years older than her… He should have known better."

"I understand your point of view," Mamoru said calmly, "but I think you should let Mina make her own decision. This is like when…" He didn't finish saying "when Makoto wanted to keep me away from Usagi". It was clear Ami accepted the fact that her best friend had casual sex, and her concern was valid, but Mina was responsible enough to take care of herself. "I'm sure the guys will agree to an alcohol-free evening if it means you'll both join us."

Ami sighed, then gave a tiny smile. "They can drink if they want. But if anyone tries getting fresh with me, I'll have Makoto beat them up."

"Deal," Mamoru laughed. "See you tomorrow, then!"

* * *

The next night, Michiru answered the door when Mamoru knocked. "Usagi is in the shower, so you'll have to wait a few minutes."

"Help yourself to some cookies!" Makoto shouted from her room.

Mamoru eyed the platter and wasn't sure which one to pick because they all looked delectable. He ended up choosing pumpkin chocolate chip, but as soon as he bit into it something nudged his leg and he jumped back from the table. Glancing down revealed a black cat with wide yellow eyes staring up at him.

"Oh, that's Luna-chan," Michiru said while pouring a cup of tea. "She showed up earlier this week and _someone_ begged me to keep her. She's a good kitty, though."

The boy held out his hand for Luna to sniff. Her little black nose wiggled slightly, then a pink tongue darted out to lick his fingertip. "I probably taste like leather steering wheel," he chuckled, for the cat's ears flattened and she retreated beneath the table.

"Usagi _did_ tell me you have a car now," Michiru remarked. "What did you get?"

"A Mercedes E-Class coupe," he answered. "The guys wanted me to get something really sporty, but I feel comfortable in this one."

"That's what matters," the brunette smiled. "When I was still in high school, I met someone who taught me how to drive high-end cars like Lamborghinis, Ferraris, Jaguars and Porsches. She said if I ever beat her in a race she would buy me any car I wanted." The smile almost faded to nothing. "It's been a few years since I've seen her. Since I don't need to drive here, I doubt I'd win if we ever did get the chance to race. I'm out of practice."

Makoto had been listening to the story from her room and entered the kitchen once Michiru fell silent. "Sure you don't want to come with us tonight? I feel bad leaving you here all alone."

"I'll be fine as long as I have my violin. Maybe Luna can help me practice. If she cringes I'll know I have the wrong note." The cat's meow of agreement solicited a warm smile from Michiru, then she rinsed out her teacup and went around the corner to knock on the bathroom door. "Usa-chan! It's very rude to keep your guests waiting, especially when they offer to chauffeur you!"

"I'm drying off now!" Usagi shouted back. "I don't want my hair to freeze!"

Makoto sighed, knowing her friend would be at least another fifteen minutes, and began cleaning the kitchen even though it was already tidy. Mamoru slowly ate another cookie, wondering if he should make small-talk. He almost choked on the first bite of his third one because Usagi stuck her damp head around the corner, her shy expression making him laugh.

The green-eyed girl planted a hand on her hip. "He's already seen you in your underwear. A towel isn't anything to get excited about." Mamoru still turned around so she could slink past the kitchen. He heard drawers sliding open and closed, then she returned in skinny jeans, short boots, and a white sweater. "About time," Makoto grumbled.

"It's only ten-thirty. We still have plenty of time to catch the meteors," the boy said.

"Well I'm hungry," Usagi stated. "We didn't make dinner 'cause you said there was food."

Mamoru nodded. "There is. Nicholas was putting steaks on the grill when I left and Joe made apple cider to keep us warm." They exited the stairwell and stood on the sidewalk for a moment. "It's this one," the boy smiled, placing his hand on the hood of his car.

Usagi's face lit up. "Ooh, it's so stylish!"

"Now you just need the wardrobe to match," Makoto muttered as she settled into the roomy backseat, but she wasn't quiet enough.

"Well, about that…" Mamoru pushed a button to start the vehicle. "Usako, I was wondering if you could go shopping with me before Christmas, since you'll be visiting your family. I want to give myself a new style for the new year." He looked at the blonde from the corner of his eye and found her staring at him in awe. "I guess that's a yes?"

Makoto scoffed lightly. "You have no idea what you're in for."

The two girls bounced fashion ideas off one another during the drive, mentioning many designers Mamoru had never heard of. Once home he parked in Frankie's old garage space, then led the girls along a path curving around the house. Joe had done a great deal of landscaping to the backyard, transforming the patch of dead grass and bark into a soft carpet of moss. He'd planted winter flowers and shrubs around the gazebo and hung up lanterns of all colors, creating a very mystical environment.

Nicholas stood before a grill on the deck wearing an apron that barely fit. He heard footsteps on the steps but wasn't expecting Makoto to suddenly appear over his shoulder. "Smells good," she commented. "Peppercorns go really well with steak."

He nodded and began flipping them over the low flame. "The marinade is a super-secret family recipe, so I can't tell you what's in it. I _will_ say that the peppercorns are for flavor contrast."

Makoto put a finger on her nose. "I bet I can guess what's in it. I smell orange zest, cardamom, maybe a splash of sherry—"

"Keep it down!" he said, nudging her with his elbow. "This recipe wins my dad a ribbon every year at the annual barbeque competition in Jozi. It has to stay secret!"

"Well I'm not going to South Africa any time soon, so you don't have to worry about me stealing his ribbons." She gave him a return nudge with her hip. "Is there anything I can eat right now?"

He pointed at the screen door with his spatula. "Everything's inside staying warm. Help yourself."

She and Usagi discovered a few platters of finger foods, including fried zucchini and mushrooms, Panko-breaded oysters, and gorgonzola cheese spread with crackers.

"Have at it!" Zach said, startling them. They hadn't even noticed him cooking at the stove. "You two are the first ones here, and Joe and Kaelan are on a mission to collect all the spare bedding in the house. No one's eaten a bite!"

He didn't have to tell them twice. "Wha're you making?" Usagi asked after cramming food into her mouth.

"This is fettuccine with scallops in a white wine sauce." He grinned as the girls practically drooled. "We're also having veggie salad and fresh rye bread."

"That sounds _amazing_," Usagi gushed. Makoto agreed wholeheartedly, uncaring of how many calories she was consuming right now. They both stood at the island picking things off the trays until Zach offered them each a mug of apple cider, which they drank greedily.

"Are there cloves in this?" Makoto asked.

"Sure are," Joe answered, startling both girls. He was hidden behind a mound of pillows and Kaelan followed him with down comforters and fleece throws. "That's my mother's recipe. I hope you enjoy it."

The brunette gave a half-smile and set her cup down. "I'll have to savor it, then– cloves make me sleepy. Need a hand?" She helped carry some of the bedding down to the gazebo, spreading it over the hardwood floor. From the outside it looked like a great bird's nest.

"Hello!" someone called. Kaelan looked up to see Rei, Ami and Mina enter the backyard. "Wow, this place looks like a fairy garden!" the last remarked. She smiled broadly at everyone, but when her eyes fell on the pale boy it faded. "Hey," she said simply.

"I'm glad you could make it," he politely returned. "There's food and drink inside, or you can sit by the fire if Mamoru ever gets it going."

"Most of this wood is damp! You should have covered it up."

"The weatherman said we'd have clear skies tonight." Kaelan turned his palms up. "Looks like he was right for once."

"There's still moisture in the air…" Mamoru muttered. He managed to arrange the driest logs into a pyramid.

Rei knelt beside him and placed her glasses on her head. "You forgot the kindling," she said softly. Mamoru groaned as she stuffed newspaper between the logs, then struck a match and blew on the flame. Curiously, there wasn't even the slightest breeze that night.

Everyone sat in chairs around the fire once it came to crackling life, their stomachs growling in anticipation as the scent of grilled beef filled the air. "I think it's ready!" Nicholas called, and they all but stampeded inside, forks clashing for the largest cuts. Plates were loaded with scallop fettuccine, Mamoru's contribution of chikuzenni, and rye bread Kaelan had baked himself.

Usagi was the first to sample the steak. "It's sweet!" she exclaimed.

"But the charring and pepper make it savory," Rei commented. Everyone else nodded since their mouths were full.

Nicholas grinned. "So it's damn good is what I'm hearing. I'm glad I got to cook something real for a change."

Usagi then raised her eyebrows at her best friend. Makoto shook her head slightly and stared at her plate, prompting the blonde to begin meddling. "Hey Nicholas…" He looked up expectantly. "Remember when we first met? What were you doing at the plant sale?"

"Oh, that…" He pointed his fork at Zach. "He sent me to find something."

"What was it?"

"Some flowers to remind me of home," the blond boy answered. "Indian pink, hibiscus, iris, rain lily, things like that."

"In this climate those plants would only survive in a greenhouse," Makoto remarked. "But luckily you have one of those now."

"I'd like to see the conservatory after dinner, if that's okay." Ami's suggestion was seconded by Rei and Mina. She gave Zach a small smile, making him grin in turn at the chance to show off.

* * *

Mamoru, Rei and Joe were the last three to finish eating. Since everyone else was traipsing about the mansion they gathered the dishes, put them in the washer, and stored all the leftovers, then went to the gazebo to get comfortable. "That was the best meal I've had in a while," the girl said. "I don't do much cooking in my apartment and although the food at Bastyr is good, it's very…"

"Boring?" Joe supplied.

She smiled. "Yes, and it's nice to have a meal with diverse flavors." She blew on her cup of cider, dispersing the steam before taking a sip. "I love the nutmeg in this."

"Yeah?" The green-eyed boy scooted a little closer to her. "I'm glad everyone likes my mom's recipe. It's one of the few things I remember how to make." He suddenly turned bashful. "My dad said cooking wasn't manly. I was always with him in the shop instead of helping my mom in the kitchen. But every Christmas I'd stay inside all day and cook with her. We made ham, bread, and enough dessert to feed the neighborhood. Her cider always smelled the best, though. It got me out of bed on Christmas morning."

"Are you going to see your family during winter break?" Rei asked.

Joe sighed. "Maybe. They've been saving up to fly me home since last month, but it's also insurance against horrible winter storms. Last year part of the roof collapsed on us, but me and Dad and the shop guys patched it up."

Rei's hand rose consolingly to his shoulder. Until that evening she had been under the assumption that Joe was just another rich boy rebelling against strict parents. She thought his decision to study environmental science was to spite the people who wanted him to become a politician, but now she knew better. They weren't wealthy and haughty at all, just a hard-working couple who'd raised a very down-to-earth son.

Mamoru saw the look they were sharing and turned his attention to the blue-black skies above. Orion and Taurus shone brightly while Leo glimmered near the horizon, and after a few minutes of staring he caught the faint flicker of a shooting star. He wondered why they were called that when they weren't actually stars, just space debris burning up in the atmosphere. Yet only when one was firmly on the ground did the fragments of comet Tempel-Tuttle become something to marvel at.

When the group of seven returned they took off their shoes and snuggled into the blankets, Usagi making herself comfortable beside Mamoru. "I didn't realize how close this place was to the beach. We should walk down there later," she suggested, earning a single nod.

Nicholas lay on his stomach, supporting Makoto as she rested across his shoulders. Ami sat between her and Zach, who kept swatting at Mina's toes as she tickled his lower back. Eventually she gave up and leaned sideways to rest her head against Kaelan's chest. His pulse increased for a minute, then he wrapped an arm around her, running his fingertips just under the hem of her shirt, which was surprisingly sensual.

The sky gave an unspoken command for them to remain silent. Nobody said a word for the first hour, but then the shooting stars started coming more frequently. Breaths of awe were punctuated by shouts of excitement when a particularly bright meteoroid lanced through the heavens. "I guess this would be a good time to make a wish!" Usagi said, hopping to her feet. "C'mon, Mamo-chan!"

She led him down the overgrown path to the beach, holding his hand tightly in case she tripped on a tree root. The path reached a steep cliff and became a set of stairs slick with moss, but Usagi raced down them anyway. She picked her way across the rocky shore and finally came to a stop at the water's edge, letting waves brush her shoes while she stared upward. The meteoroids fell at a rate of at least ten every few seconds, a celestial downpour across the northern hemisphere.

"Usako, look at the water!" Mamoru squeezed her fingers as she gasped at the magnified reflection of the sky. The meteor shower seemed just beyond her reach. If she took a step forward it would be like standing in a field of starlight…

Mamoru escaped the mesmerizing sight just in time to prevent Usagi from entering the water. He pulled back with unintentional strength, causing her to release a surprised squeak and fall against him. He caught her in his arms and for a moment they were still, Mamoru taking deep breaths to quell his surge of fear and Usagi blinking slowly to bring her surroundings into focus. She craned her neck to look up at his face. "What was that for, Mamo-chan?"

"You were about to… You almost…" He shook his head slightly. "That water's ice cold, Usako! What were you thinking?"

"I… I don't know." Her brow furrowed as she rotated in his arms. "For a second I thought it'd be like floating in space with all the stars around me." She also shook her head. "That's crazy, isn't it?"

"Completely crazy. You would have gotten hypothermia in no time at all."

Usagi laughed at her own stupidity before gazing out at the Sound again. There weren't as many shooting stars now, but a mere minute ago the sky had blazed with streaks of white light. She sighed, wondering if she was a little out of it due to stressing about midterms, and abruptly realized how tightly Mamoru was holding her. She flattened her palm against his chest, feeling his adrenalin-fueled heart beginning to calm. His arms relaxed but he didn't let her go just yet. She wasn't sure if she wanted him to.

"Usako, don't move," Mamoru suddenly said.

"Why? What is it?" Her eyes darted around the beach in search of a bear or cougar or some other ferocious animal, but she saw nothing. "What is it, Mamo-chan?"

He grinned at her. "Just hang on to me." She raised an eyebrow as he went to the water's edge, rolled up a jacket sleeve, and plunged his hand into the waves.

"What are you doing?" When he didn't answer she grabbed onto the waistband of his black pants, finding she actually had to hold him back as he stretched even further over the water. "What are you looking for?" she demanded.

He suddenly straightened, making them both stagger. "This!" He shook off the saltwater and his fingers unfurled to reveal a round, shimmering object. Usagi's eyes widened as he frowned. "Oh, I thought it was a shell."

She laughed at how disappointed he sounded. "It's beautiful, Mamo-chan! The prettiest makeup compact I've ever seen!" She gingerly took it from his hand and wiped away the remaining granules of sand. "It's so smooth and shiny. I can't remember what this material is."

"Nacre, better known as mother-of-pearl," Mamoru provided. The compact glistened with a mixture of ivory, ecru and silver hues, and he'd only spotted it because it was buried in the sand about two feet from where they were standing.

Usagi ran a finger over the compact's slight lip. She knew it was an antique, maybe from the Victorian era, and wondered how it had washed up near shore. Perhaps it was a family heirloom someone lost while sailing out to the ocean, in which case she wanted to return it to its rightful owner. _'But Luna came to me just as mysteriously, and __she__ didn't have an owner…'_ Her thumb unconsciously slipped beneath the edge of the lid and popped it open, soliciting a gasp.

A smooth white stone streaked with every color sat in the center of the compact. The lid was lined with reflective silver, like a natural mirror, and a split second after Usagi opened it, something fell out. She pinched a delicate silver chain and held it at eye-level. The pendant was a thin conical version of the stone in the compact– opaque white with rainbow streaks spiraling down it. With great effort she tore her eyes from the bauble to give Mamoru an incredulous look. "Do you really want me to have this? It's probably worth hundreds of dollars."

"I don't need hundreds of dollars." He took the necklace from her fingers and fastened it around her neck. Even against her snow-white sweater the stone stood out, and he thought the spiral of blue was the exact same shade as her eyes. "I would rather make you happy."

"Mamo-chan…" She blushed and turned from his intense gaze. His eyes were as dark as the waves lapping at the shore and just as compelling, making her nervous about what might happen if she kept staring into them. So many odd things were occurring lately that Usagi wondered if she were experiencing a very realistic, drawn-out dream.

Mamoru seemed to be changing into someone much different than the boy she'd met at Amabie. He held his head a little higher and his shoulders back. He no longer stumbled over his words or looked at the ground when he spoke. Usagi reasoned that he wanted the makeover to project his new confidence. She had to transform his exterior to match the self-assured young man he was on the inside, leaving the awkward boy behind.

The young man in question seriously considered kissing Usagi. _She_ was the one who had fostered his newfound self-acceptance, the one who taught him that he had to love himself before loving others. He wasn't sure if his feelings for the girl were that profound yet, but his heart always skipped a beat when he saw her. Her smile made him glow and the slightest touch lingered on his skin like a ghostly breath. He was beginning to desire something more tangible.

Mamoru became aware that Usagi was shivering and quickly dismissed all notions of romantic gestures. "Let's go back," he said, gently tugging her hand. "You can warm up by the fire." She simply nodded and fell into step beside him. As they approached the gazebo she noticed there were only two people nestled among the blankets, where Nicholas appeared to be asleep.

"Where did everyone go?" Usagi inquired.

Makoto pushed herself into a sitting position. "Oh, let's see… Mina and Kaelan went inside as soon as you two left, Rei and Joe returned to the conservatory to talk about medicinal plants, and I'm not sure where Ami and Zach disappeared to.

"And you didn't want to get out of the cold?" She refrained from making a joke about Nicholas keeping her warm.

"I figured it'd be mean to leave this guy all alone outside, so I was waiting for you two to come back." She shook him between the shoulder blades. "Time to wake up, sleeping beauty."

Nicholas gave a deep groan and rolled over, rubbing his eyes. "Ag, I didn't mean to pass out on every…" He lifted his head to look around. "Where is everyone?"

"They left," Makoto answered, "and I don't blame them 'cause it's freezing out here!" Now that she was separated from the boy's body heat, she shivered slightly.

"Help me up," he said, holding an arm in the air. Makoto wrapped her long fingers around his wrist and pulled with a surprising amount of force, bringing him to his feet. He yawned and stretched, then the quartet gathered the blankets and pillows and returned to the warm interior of the mansion.

* * *

"Do you ever get angry with Mina?" Zach asked. He flopped onto his canopy bed to stare at the fabric while Ami stood next to his computer desk. They had come to his room so she could read some of the script for _Eternal Heart_, which she had expressed more than a little interest in.

Her sepia eyes flicked from the paper to him. "Angry about what?"

"This can't be the first time she's gone off with some guy and left you alone." Zach watched her reaction carefully, but to his surprise she just smiled.

"You're right, it's not. But for once I'm not alone– I'm here with friends, so there's nothing to be upset about." She paused, almost smirking. "I wonder what she'd think if she knew I was in your room."

Zach flashed his smile-smirk. "Probably that we're up to no good… Or rather, up to something _very_ good." Ami actually laughed, hiding her pink cheeks behind the sheaf of papers. This was the first time she'd found his innuendo amusing. He got up, opened his door an inch, and cleared his throat. "Oh Ami!" he shouted down the hall, "You are the light of my life, the fire of my loins!" He looked at her expectantly.

"Oh Zach, you have bewitched me, body and soul! I never wish to be parted from you from this day on!"

"Good one," he whispered, and abruptly closed his door when Mina stepped out of Kaelan's room. "She actually heard us!" he snickered.

A moment later there was a knock on the door. "Ami-chan? Are you okay in there?"

"I'm fine! Just looking at Zach's collection of classic literature," she answered.

"Oh, okay. For a second I thought…" Ami snorted as she trailed off. "Never mind, I know he's not your type."

"You are absolutely right about that." She heard Mina's footsteps retreat back down the hall and shot the boy a look of triumph.

"What did she say?" he asked, since their exchange was in Japanese.

"She wondered if you had seduced me and I told her you weren't my type." Ami turned her nose in the air at such an absurd notion.

Her smugness abruptly shifted to apprehension as something dark flickered across Zach's visage. Although he was half a foot taller than her, his eyes became shadowed when he lowered his head and were as cold as the smile that crossed his lips. He crossed the room quickly and silently, like a graceful predator, and even though Ami told herself not to be afraid of him she reflexively stepped back, but the desk prevented her retreat.

"What makes you believe that, exactly?" He came to a stop once the buttons of their jeans were touching. "Do you mean to say that I don't have the ability to seduce you, or that you are simply repulsed by me?"

"I don't mean either of those things," Ami said evenly. "I'm just not like Mina. I'm not really interested in hooking up."

"But it's not hooking up if there's a connection," he returned. "And we have one."

"Sorry, but I don't feel it."

"You're still a _passionate_ person, Ami. That's all you really need to have a good time."

"Well I don't want to have it with you!" Now she lifted her hands to push Zach away, but he caught them and held them against his chest. She was surprised to feel how steady his heart was beating.

"Why not?" he asked.

"Because you're so… two-faced!" His eyes widened as she said it and Ami knew she was in control of the situation now. "I don't even know who you are, Zach! One minute we're having an intelligent discussion and the next you're trying to coerce me into sleeping with you! I don't know if you're bipolar or hypersexual or what, but I'm _not_ attracted to it. And I'm tired of playing these immature head games with you!"

Ami shoved him aside and marched out the door, feeling the tiniest bit of remorse for resorting to name-calling. She was much more eloquent than that, but his audacity enraged her. The evening had been perfectly enjoyable until that moment, and now she needed to cool off.


	9. Fake Awake

**Chapter Nine: Fake Awake**

Ami stripped down to her undergarments and drove into the pool. It was only about seventy degrees, but it was a sauna compared to the temperature outside. She hadn't turned on the overhead lights because she didn't want anyone to know she was here, instead navigating by the dim LEDs along the edge. When she reached the shallow end she flipped around and pushed off the tiled wall, traveling a few yards before breaking the surface again. After several laps she was no longer angry and slowly drifted to the stairs. A dark figure near them made her stop suddenly and wipe the droplets from her eyes.

"Why didn't you try out for the team at UW?" Zach asked, standing with his hands in his pockets.

Ami inched forward until she was no longer treading water. "I knew my course load would be too intense for me to make time for practice and meets."

"That's a real shame. You would have been a champion."

"I already proved myself in high school. I still hold a national record for the two-hundred meter breaststroke." Zach nodded slowly, impressed. "A lot of people said I could go on to the Olympics…" she whispered, yet her voice reverberated in the huge space, "but I chose academics instead. I knew I could only achieve perfection at one or the other."

"The Virgo prerogative," he chuckled.

Ami scowled. "And what are you, a Gemini?"

"Scorpio, actually. I'm a true Scorpio."

"What's the difference?"

Zach sat down near the edge. "Kaelan schooled me in astrology the other day. I didn't know there were actually thirteen signs in the Zodiac. Ophiuchus is the one between Scorpio and Sagittarius." Ami knew that, of course. "The sun is only in Scorpio for about a week and my birthday is right in the middle on November twenty-sixth. I don't really believe that a bunch of stars determine my personality, though." He tilted his head slightly. "Just so you know, my mother is a psychiatrist and never diagnosed me with bipolar or hypersexuality disorder."

Ami lowered her gaze. "I shouldn't have said that. I'm sorry."

He shrugged it off. "You weren't entirely wrong– I _am_ two-faced. At first it was just an act of necessity, but I guess it became a mask I forgot how to take off."

"But which side of you _is_ the mask, Zach? Is the real you a talented artist, or is he an arrogant bigot who can't take no for an answer?"

"I'm… complicated," the boy sighed. "I'm not saying that to be dramatic. I wish I could stop being that two-faced guy, but I don't know how. Being around _you_ certainly doesn't help."

Ami surged forward to douse him with water but only succeeded in splashing his jeans. "Are you saying it's my fault you're such a jerk?"

"It's your fault for being who you are," he grinned, "which is someone I'm attracted to. I did say you were my type."

"No, you said all beautiful… Oh." This revelation solicited a swell of giddiness. _'He thinks I'm beautiful!'_ she thought before berating herself.

"I also have a thing for smart girls," Zach added, regarding her with a tiny smile. She stared at him, conflicted, and he stood up. "I said you'd get to know the real me, and that's a promise. You'll just have to be a little patient."

Ami opened her mouth to make a comeback but closed it a moment later. A part of her was unsure if she should trust him, but the scientist in her wanted to dissect Zach and discover the reasons for why he was the way he was. The scientist was very patient.

* * *

"Wow, it's three in the morning," Makoto remarked upon glancing at the clock on the mantle. "Can we just call it quits?"

"No way, I'm totally winning!" Usagi stared at the Upwords board for a minute. She only had four tiles left and had given up consulting the dictionary as their words evolved to take up the entire ten-by-ten space. At the beginning of the last round, Makoto had turned "macro" into "hydro", which Nicholas had made into "hydraulic", which Mamoru had changed into "xylophone". Usagi now placed her remaining tiles atop his to spell…

"Cellophane!" Nicholas shouted. He banged a fist on the rug and slumped forward in defeat. "I'm done."

Mamoru quickly calculated her score. "Good job, Usako. You really did win. I'm second, Nicholas is third. Sorry, Makoto-chan."

She waved off her loss. "I'm tired. I wasn't expecting to do good at this game. Good night now." She crawled over to the same couch she'd slept on last time, which was in fact a hide-a-bed, and dragged herself up onto the mattress, sighing contentedly.

Usagi settled onto the other couch as Mamoru put the game away and Nicholas threw a few more logs on the fire. Since the house was insulated with aerogel, a little heat went a long way. They all bid each other good night and Usagi listened to the footsteps climbing the stairs. Mamoru's almost faded to nothing as he went to his room at the very end of the hall, but she heard Nicholas shuffling around for a few minutes before the mansion became completely still.

She felt wide awake despite having been up since seven in the morning for her final. She had then spent most of the day at a seminar on textile innovations that were going to be implemented into the fashion design curriculum. After that she attended a workshop and created a doll-sized outfit from the many fabric samples available, then finally returned home a little after eight p.m. She should have been unconscious by now, but her thoughts were unusually chaotic.

The nacre compact seemed to assuage her. She held it in her dominant left hand and rubbed the smooth ridges with her thumb, like a worry stone. The cool exterior seeped through her fingertips, clearing her mind with the sensation of standing beneath a waterfall. Firelight danced across the opaque stone when Usagi opened the compact, mesmerizing her for a moment, and then something else fell out. Her free hand instantly flew to the pendant on her chest, finding it still in place, then she carefully picked up the new one. Attached to a white chain was a marquise-cut gem the color of goldenrod.

Makoto suddenly stirred. "Hm? What did you say, Usa-chan?"

"I didn't say anything," the blonde whispered.

"You didn't? I thought I heard you muttering just now… Something about a storm."

Usagi shook her head in confusion. She glanced at the pendant again and inexplicably knew it was meant for Makoto. "Hey Mako-chan, catch!" Her friend looked up groggily as she tossed the trinket to the other couch.

"What's this?" the brunette asked.

"An early present, since I'll be gone during your birthday."

"Wow, Usa-chan…" Makoto fastened it around her neck and marveled at the deep yellow stone. "Where and when did you get this? We always shop together."

"I got it… a long time ago," Usagi answered. "I forgot I had it until recently." Even though she pulled the lie out of thin air, it sounded true enough. She felt oddly nostalgic as she examined her pendant again. Did it resemble costume jewelry she used to play with? Had she seen similar pieces on the Home Shopping Network or in Nordstrom's fine jewelry department?

No, it seemed more familiar than that. The weight of her necklace was ingrained upon her skin as if she had always worn it. The clarity provided by the compact was something she had sought quite often, especially after a fight with her parents.

In frustration she let the compact fall to the floor, where it rattled. Usagi's first thought was that the stone had come loose, but popping it open revealed yet _another_ necklace, a ruby on a gold chain. She hastily closed and opened it several more times, but after the eighth necklace fell into her lap, the compact stopped dispensing them.

Each consisted of a colorful gem attached to a precious metal chain. There were a few stones Usagi couldn't name, including the shimmery white one around her neck, but Mamoru had mentioned that as an amateur geologist Joe might be able to identify it. Usagi left the couch with the jewels in hand and crept upstairs to knock on Joe's door. When he didn't answer she stuck her head inside and saw an empty bed illuminated by a small lamp, and deduced he was still awake. Locating him would at least provide a few answers tonight.

* * *

"Lilies…" Rei brushed the petals of an enormous flower before turning to face Joe. "I love lilies, especially these white ones. Lilium casa blanca."

"Do you want me to cut some for you?" the boy offered. He stepped closer as that section's sprinkler system turned on, misting the aisle in addition to his clothes.

"No, you should let them keep growing." She moved on to Calla lilies and iris, touching all the waxy petals with two fingers. The veins of plants were just like the energy channels within humans, which was why Rei didn't believe that chaos was the primary force of the universe. There was too much symmetry between humans, nature, and the cosmos for it not to have been designed by some grand being.

Joe fiddled with the training stakes of a young tree. "You know, we've been wandering around for hours. I'm sure we missed the rest of the meteor shower."

"It was a bit too cold out there for me," Rei answered. "I like it in here."

"You don't think it's too humid? This is a _tropical_ greenhouse."

"Japan gets very humid during the summer—"

"So it reminds you a little of home," he finished, smiling. "It seems like all of us are missing our families lately."

"Except for those who don't have any…" Rei sighed. "Mamoru and Makoto are orphans."

"Then I guess it'd be better for them to stay where their friends are." Joe felt a wave of relief when she nodded in agreement. He knew very little about Rei so he didn't want to offend her by making more ignorant comments. Earlier that night she had asked if he was going home for the holidays, and judging by the way she sighed just now he thought family might be a sensitive issue for her. Plants and weather were safe subjects for the time being. "So… why do you like Casablanca lilies so much?"

Rei took off her glasses but didn't look back at him, staring at some orchids instead. "They're beautiful in a simple way. As a girl I wanted to walk down the aisle on my wedding day in a red kimono with a bouquet of pure white lilies"

"Ah, wedding fantasies…" Joe chuckled slightly. "In my hometown, it's not only little girls who dream them up."

"Don't tell me _you_ have one," Rei also laughed.

"It's not too elaborate, but I'm determined to get married outside. Maybe the bride and I will stand beneath a fancy arbor. Maybe it will be at night, near a river, with lanterns floating downstream and hanging from the trees. I think I want to wear a white tuxedo instead of black. I want our first newlywed dance to be to Antonin Dvorak's 'Silent Woods'."

The girl raised one of her slim eyebrows at him. "That's many more details than I have planned for my wedding."

Joe grinned sheepishly. "Well, I only started thinking about it so much because my parents kept badgering me about finding the 'right girl'. If they really forced me to marry for money, the least they could do would be to indulge the setting I want."

Rei went "hmm" and returned to the flowers before her, but she didn't see any of them through a veil of tears. _Her_ parents had married for social standing. What if her mother's loveless union had aggravated her sickness? She always had to appear a certain way for the media and was always stressing about what people would think. If she had married someone she really loved, she would have been happy. She could have fought harder to live because her life would have been worth it.

Rei wasn't so selfish to believe that she was a reason worth living for. She was an accident, after all. She hadn't been born of love despite what her father claimed. She knew she was nothing more than an inconvenience, but now she was on her own. As soon as she earned her degree she would be completely cut off from her old life and everyone in it. She could fill it with new people who really cared about her, people like Makoto and Ami and Joe…

Her tears were abruptly blinked away as something soft, warm, and slightly damp landed on her cheek. Rei focused on the boy standing directly in front of her and found him looking on concernedly. "Are you all right? You got quiet all of a sudden, then I saw that you were crying."

"Did you just… kiss me?" Rei asked quietly.

Joe's fair complexion immediately reddened. "Well, yeah… Kisses are supposed to make people feel better." The heat of his blush spread to his neck and ears as Rei remained silent. The only action she made was to touch the spot where his lips had been. His chest grew hot as her russet eyes stared straight ahead, looking right through him.

"Hey Joe! Are you in here?"

They jumped apart and turned toward the door to see Usagi waving. They approached her together, noticing several sparkling objects dangling from her hand, and Rei hung back a little as an odd sensation made her palms break out in a sweat. Usagi's big blue eyes glanced between the duo and an impish smile turned her lips. _'Don't say anything about us,'_ the black-haired girl mentally urged Joe.

As if he'd received the message, he commented on the necklaces instead. "What are you doing with those?"

Usagi held them up proudly. "They're early Christmas gifts! I was hoping you could tell me what these gemstones are. I want to give the right one to each of my friends." She selected the ruby and handed it to Rei. "This one's for you!"

"Thank you, Usagi-chan." She fastened it around her neck as Joe leaned down for a closer look.

"This isn't lab-created. It must have cost you a fortune, Usagi!" She shrugged and surrendered the necklaces. Joe marveled at them for a moment, noting how well the shapes suited each stone, and wondered if the blonde had stolen them somehow. He named each gem while handing them back to her. "Emerald, diamond, sapphire, amethyst, aquamarine, black opal, peridot, and sunstone."

"What about the one I'm wearing?" she asked.

"That's moonstone. Those colors are caused by light diffraction through layers of orthoclase and albite." He checked the time on his watch and sighed. "It's a quarter 'til four in the morning. We should really get some sleep."

"Thanks a lot, Jo-kun!" Usagi waved and ran out of the conservatory.

The boy dragged a hand down his face. "I don't understand how she has so much energy."

"If you were tired then you should have gone to bed earlier," Rei chastised as they left the conservatory.

"You needed someone to stop those tears from falling," Joe returned. "I hope I didn't cause them, and I'm sorry if I did. I can be a clueless idiot sometimes."

"They weren't your doing. I started thinking about things better left forgotten."

"Well, you can always talk to me if you remember them again. You know where to find me." An expression of surprised relief greeted this statement. Joe knew Rei was a stoic, introverted person and sincerely hoped she wasn't put-off by his openness. Perhaps kissing her cheek had been too bold.

"Thank you for the offer," the girl said simply. They climbed the stairs and paused simultaneously at the landing. Rei wanted to talk to him right now and get everything that had been tormenting her for years off her chest. She knew he was a good listener, but part of her feared being judged. If she told Joe about her family and childhood, he'd realize that they shared few of the same values. And if he knew who her father was, he would probably hate her.

Joe wanted to do more than just say "good night", but he wasn't sure which affectionate gestures Rei would accept. Air-kissing was something he did all the time back home yet he knew that bowing was the norm in Japan. He could kiss her again, maybe on the other cheek, but that could be awkward if she moved her head at all. Would a brief hug be too intimate? It was times like these he wished he hadn't attended a super-strict religious school.

Rei cleared her throat softly. "Good night, Josef. Thank you again… for everything."

"Oh, you're welcome. You can call me Joe, you know." He winced at the rhyme.

"I like Josef better," she smiled, then bowed her head and turned around, heading for the stairs at the end of the hall.

Joe stood in place for a moment, grinning to himself like a fool, before entering his room. His full name had an attractive ring when coming from Rei.

* * *

Mina opened her eyes to see that Kaelan's grey gaze was directed at the velvet canopy above. His brow was furrowed slightly, but the hand on her shoulder wasn't tense at all; he appeared to be lost in thought. After staring at him for a minute, he turned onto his side and smiled wearily. "You didn't sleep?" she asked.

"No. Ever since I was a kid, I haven't been able to sleep when there's a celestial event going on. Meteor showers, passing comets, auroras… Lunar eclipses are the worst. During those I get really anxious and can't focus on anything."

"That's kind of weird," Mina lightly remarked.

"What's weird is that you were talking in your sleep," Kaelan returned. "You said you had to save a princess but you weren't strong enough because you lost the heart."

Mina gave a short laugh. "I don't think I've ever spoken a dream out loud before. Ami would have told me." She rolled over and pressed her back against Kaelan's chest, smiling as his arm automatically went around her waist. His bare skin and toned body felt nice, and he also smelled good. His breath on her neck was warm and his steady heartbeat soon lulled her back to sleep.

She experienced her dream with absolute clarity this time. Mina looked down to see pale yellow fabric billowing in a gentle breeze. At her feet was a carpet of small white flowers stretching several miles in every direction. Off to her left was a domed white building glistening in the light of the dying sun. She craned her neck to examine the sky, but instead of familiar clouds dotting a blue canvas she saw a dark grey veil with winking stars beyond, seemingly close enough to touch.

Upon facing forward she drew in a breath of awe. She had presumed the sun was setting on Earth, but Earth loomed at the edge of the flower field, rising from the horizon like a giant blue marble. Beneath whorls of white clouds she could see brown patches of land.

_"Cordie!"_ someone called. Mina turned toward a woman she instinctively recognized as Ami despite her completely different appearance. _"I have divined the location of the Princess. The council awaits you."_

_"Thank you, Pronoia, although I feel this meeting is nothing more than a formality. We all know the only way to retrieve her will be by force. Do your people still refuse to stand with us?"_

Ami's avatar nodded once. _"It was not their decision, it was mine. I have seen many things in this orb…"_ She gestured to a white sphere hanging from her belt. _"…including the destruction of my planet if we engage Terra. My people are thinkers, not fighters."_

_"We could use strategists on the battlefield,"_ Mina returned. _"With the Eye in our midst, the Terrans will make no move that we are not already aware of. The battle will be over quickly. Casualties will be minimal."_

Mina wondered what her avatar was talking about. Everything went black like she'd fallen asleep within her own dream, and when she opened her eyes she was quickly descending through the clouds. Her head spun with vertigo but her avatar felt at ease. There was something heavy weighing her down– a round shield strapped to her right arm. As she became aware of the dream's surroundings she realized there was a sword in her left hand, a helmet on her head, and a breastplate over the same yellow dress from before.

She stood shoulder-to-shoulder with other men and women in armor. Bronze, silver and gold glittered in the dim lighting of the vessel they stood in. It suddenly dawned on her that she was on a warship heading into battle with Terra, whoever or whatever that was. Another fast-forward placed her in the middle of the fight. Metallic clangs, battle orders, and death cries surrounded her. There was blood on her sword and dress. Wooden shafts stuck out of her shield where a few steel arrowheads had pierced it. She paused for a moment to survey the field.

Her allies in red, green, and white appeared to be winning the battle. Mina led her unit toward the high ground in hopes of finding an enemy commander and was not disappointed. A man in silver and green armor came forward to meet her, ordering his guards to stand down. Mina told her unit to do the same before striding right up to him, nearly brushing his breastplate with her own. _"I'm honored that you have come to kill me personally," _he said.

_"I will let you live, Kunzite, if you release Selene,"_ Mina stated. _"She belongs on Luna with her family and her people."_

The man shook his helmeted head. _"This proves how little you know. Princess Selene has chosen to stay here with my lord. She loves this planet."_ He pointed across the battlefield at two other female generals. _"You and your allies have been deceived. Luna has long sought to conquer us, and they lied to you to unite you against us."_

_"__You__ are the one who is trying to deceive me!"_ Mina spat. _"If Selene truly desired to live here, why would she inform no one of her decision?"_ She gripped her sword tighter as Kunzite relinquished his own weapon. _"If you know where Selene is, you must take me to her at once!"_

_"That I will do,"_ he said with a bow, _"as soon as you order your allies to cease their attack."_

The dream skipped forward once more, presenting Mina with a dark corridor illuminated by softly glowing orbs. As she followed the silver-armored man deep underground she began to shiver. When she looked back she was surprised to see two women in green and red trailing her. _"If this is a trap, I will ensure nothing remains of you but ashes,"_ the latter hissed.

_"I am a man of my word, Princess,"_ Kunzite calmly stated. _"My lord and your lady have taken refuge in a sacred place known only to a few."_

_"And now it will be known to us,"_ said the green-garbed woman with a staff. _"Your prince is either very trusting or very foolish to reveal the heart of his kingdom."_ Kunzite did not reply to this comment, instead placing his hand on a golden sphere at the end of the hall. Everything around them quaked and shuddered, then a white portal opened up in the wall before them.

_"Take my hand and do not let go,"_ Kunzite instructed. Mina grabbed his gauntleted fingers. There was a brief, intense pain that made her cry out, and when it receded she felt herself falling. Wind rushed through her clothes and hair; she desperately tried to open her eyes but the pressure held them shut, and all she could see through her lids were myriad colors. Robbed of sight, scent and hearing, she squeezed her left hand and was relieved to feel the faintest grip in return.

She came to an abrupt halt and was almost afraid to see where they had arrived. _"Cordie!"_ someone shouted. It was the same nickname Ami had used, but the voice was different. Mina finally opened her eyes and saw Usagi running toward her; however, she had ridiculously long white hair done up in twin buns and she wore a silver gown. After they exchanged a hug, Mina noticed someone else approaching, another man in deep blue and gold regalia. He oddly reminded her of Mamoru.

He knelt before the newcomers. _"Princess Enyo of Mars, Princess Nemesis of Jupiter, and Princess Verticordia of Venus. I welcome you to Elysium."_

_"Prince Endymion of Terra,"_ Nemesis, whose powerful voice sounded like Makoto's, greeted coldly. _"We have come to negotiate the return of Selene."_

Selene and Endymion exchanged a surprised look. _"Where am I to return to?"_ the girl asked.

_"To your home, of course,"_ Enyo answered. She had the same jet-black hair as Rei. _"The armies of the inner planets, save Mercury, have joined forces to remove you from the clutches of these vile Terrans."_

_"Watch what you speak here, Enyo,"_ said a forceful male voice. Mina saw another silver-armored man come to stand behind the prince. He wasn't wearing a helmet, thus revealing vivid green eyes, and pointed a wicked-looking crossbow at Enyo. _"Your flame has no power in this place."_

_"You presume I am at your mercy?"_ she retorted, drawing twin daggers from the jagged folds of her blood-red gown. The man aimed his crossbow bolt directly between her eyes.

_"Stand down, Jadeite,"_ Endymion commanded, and his subordinate begrudgingly lowered the weapon. Selene looked positively terrified and Kunzite released a nervous breath. The prince held up his hands to mediate the situation. _"Ladies of the Inner Alliance, I believe there has been a misunderstanding. Why have you brought your armies to Terra?"_

_"Because you abducted her!"_ Enyo shouted, indicating Selene. _"She has been held prisoner for weeks!"_

Endymion took up one of the Lunar princess' pale hands in an almost dainty manner. _"As you can see, that is not the case. Selene is not being held against her will."_

_"Let her speak for herself,"_ Nemesis demanded.

The fair-haired girl looked at each of her friends in turn before lowering her head apologetically. _"I am sorry to have caused such turmoil. You must know that Endymion and I are… Well, to put it simply, I love him with all my heart and soul."_ Although Nemesis and Enyo dropped their jaws, Mina was not surprised by this information. _"I have been coming here to see him for a long time, but the only one who knew was—"_

_"Pronoia…"_ Mina finished, sounding hurt. _"Why did you not trust us?"_

_"I wish I had,"_ Selene said. _"If you knew, this war never would have happened."_ She now gazed at them imploringly. _"You must know that Endymion and I were to be wed today. With our union, peace could exist among the Inner Alliance. I informed my family of my actions, but I now know that they lied when they said they would honor a treaty with Terra."_

_"It __was__ King Hyperion who first informed us that you were missing…"_ Nemesis said.

_"And when we questioned your mother, she had nothing to say on the subject,"_ Enyo added. _"Do you think she was ordered to withhold the truth from us?"_

_"I would not put it past my father…"_ Selene muttered. _"He has long spoke of the resources we could gain from Terra."_

_"Then you must be wed this instant!"_ Mina declared. _"Once our armies, including that of Luna, see that you and Endymion are united, they will learn of Hyperion's deception."_

* * *

Mina knew the dream was almost over, and she presumed it would end on a happy note. She now stood on a marble step just below Endymion and Selene. They didn't take their eyes off one another or untangle their fingers. Across from Mina stood Kunzite, who had finally removed his helmet to stoically survey the ceremony. Behind him were Endymion's other three generals, and the princesses of Mars, Jupiter and Mercury were situated behind Mina. A priestess of Elysium named Khamyne approached the podium, her deep sepia skin contrasted by blue eyes even brighter than Selene's. She began to officiate, but Mina didn't hear the words because she was transfixed by the blissful couple. It still hurt that Selene had only trusted Pronoia with her secret relationship, but Mina reasoned the Princess of Mercury would have known about it anyway thanks to her artifact.

Khamyne filled a golden chalice with water from a nearby spring and instructed the prince and princess to grasp it together. _"This water feeds into the oceans, lakes and rivers Terrans depend on to survive, but they would not exist if Luna were not presiding over their movements. As these two celestial bodies work together in harmony to support life, so must you two maintain harmony in your union. Selene, drink the life water of Terra."_ She did, then angled the chalice toward the prince. _"Endymion, drink the watery life from Luna."_

Just as he brought the golden cup to his lips, a wild shout rang out that brought a sudden halt to the ceremony. Another priestess, one with wavy red hair, rushed toward them. _"Endymion, stop!"_

Mina could hardly believe what happened next.

The priestess ran up the steps between the confused onlookers. She came to a stop before Selene, who recoiled from the crazed woman, and drew a knife from her bodice. _"For Terra!"_ the priestess shouted, and plunged the blade into Selene's chest.

_"Beryl, nooo!"_ Endymion wailed. He shoved her off the podium, catching Selene before she fell.

_"BETRAYER!"_ Enyo screamed. A tiny red flame sparked to life in her palm, transforming into a white-hot crescent the next second. _"DIE!"_ She aimed the arrow from her elemental bow at Endymion, but just as she released it a crossbow bolt landed in her shoulder, throwing off her aim. Enyo screamed again, her bloodlust ignited, and drew her daggers while leaping at Jadeite.

Mina managed to run Beryl through with her sword before shielding herself from the intensity of Enyo's arrow. When her vision cleared she discovered that the prince was not dead– Khamyne had thrown herself in front of him and was now a charred corpse scattering to the wind.

Nemesis and Nephrite, the largest of Endymion's generals, traded wild blows that endangered everyone around them. She raised her staff to deflect his two-handed sword. They both spun to gain momentum, and when they clashed again a bolt of white lightning shot out of the staff. In the next instant they were gone, vaporized, leaving charred armor on the ground. Before all that, though, Pronoia prepared a spell to launch at Beryl. Since Mina had felled the red-haired woman it appeared she was attacking Endymion, and the general named Zoicite transfixed her with his rapier. The Princess of Mercury turned in shock, releasing the spell upon him as she died, and his lungs were suddenly full of water.

Almost everyone had died in less than a minute. Mina was nearly paralyzed with horror; the only sound that penetrated the blood rushing in her ears was Endymion's sobbing. She had no doubt that he loved Selene, but now she was dead. The annihilation of Terra was certain.

_"It is hopeless…"_ She blinked rapidly to focus on Kunzite, finding him on his knees before her. _"When none of the princesses return, their armies will destroy us. Since my death is inevitable, I'd rather it be by your hand."_

_"What are you saying?"_ Mina's voice and grip on her sword wavered. _"We are still alive. We can explain this!"_

_"No, we cannot. Two priestesses are dead– their loss will be felt across the entire planet. You will be killed as soon as you return to the surface. Your allies will assume I lured the princesses here to have them slain at the behest of Endymion, and the Lunar family will have him executed for murdering their daughter."_ Kunzite gave a single dry laugh. _"This place has become our grave."_

_"I am not going to kill you!"_

_"Then I'll do it myself."_ He snatched the sword out of her hand, a slender crystalline weapon gifted to Verticordia by Selene herself, and drove the blade through his midsection, holding her gaze all the while. Mina slumped to the ground, unable to tear her eyes from his as she watched the life fade out of him.

_"Kunzite…"_ Endymion whispered. When he looked at Mina she saw nothing but anguish on his features, the look of a man who had lost everything precious. She then noticed Beryl's knife in his hand and had to turn away as the once noble prince stuck it into his own chest.


	10. Strong

**Chapter Ten: Strong**

Nicholas was the first one to wake Saturday morning. His alarm clock informed him it was actually closer to noon, and he rolled over with a yawn. His craving for waffles and bacon lured him out of bed and down the stairs. He entered the kitchen, opened the fridge… and was heartbroken to see that there was no bacon. He searched for suitable alternatives –anything savory would do– but there was no sausage, eggs, milk or butter! And he couldn't have toast with one slice of bread. "Guess it's time to go grocery shopping," he muttered. He went upstairs to Zach's room and shook him. "Hey, I need your keys! It's a bacon emergency."

The blond mumbled incoherently and flapped his arm in the direction of the desk where Nicholas found the keys beneath a stack of _Eternal Heart_ costume designs. He then spent a few minutes on a grocery list. If there was one thing he had learned since being in college it was to make every dollar count, and shopping while hungry usually resulted in unnecessary expenditure. When Nicholas returned to the kitchen a second time he found Makoto standing in front of the open fridge. Her hair was all over the place and her shirt was halfway up her midsection. She shot him a narrow look, making him freeze. "You don't have any fruit," she grumbled.

"I'll put it on the list…" he said slowly, distracted by her lacy lavender camisole and flower-print boy shorts. They were just as good if not better than lingerie.

"You guys don't have _any_ food." Makoto's eyes darted to the slip of paper in his hand. "You going to the store?"

"Yeah… Wanna come?"

"Sure." She glanced down at herself. "Guess I should get dressed first."

Nicholas cleared his throat and stepped aside, trying not to stare while she shuffled back into the living room. After pulling on her warm hoodie, Makoto frowned as something poked her in the chest. She fished out the necklace Usagi had tossed to her last night and smiled at the yellow-orange gem. It was the color of vigor and zest, things she definitely lacked this morning. She tucked it back into her cami. Nicholas proffered her sneakers, which she quickly tied before following him out to the garage. "How come you don't have a car?" she asked once they were on the road.

"They're expensive," he answered simply. "Gas, insurance, maintenance… I haven't been able to find a job on or around campus– there're too many students and 'civil engineer-in-training' doesn't look too great on my résumé because it's not very applicable."

Makoto thought for a moment. "I bet you could advertise yourself as a handy-man. You're good at fixing things, right? And you know all about green technology. You installed the aerogel insulation, the water recycling system, the solar panels and energy storage… People will want to hire you when you tell them you worked on the Burke Mansion."

Nicholas smiled at the idea. "You think so?" She nodded decisively. "I guess I'll give it a go." They didn't speak after that, listening to the radio spew news until they arrived at the grocery store. "You'll like this place. They mostly sell local and organic food."

"Perfect!" Makoto grinned. She entered the market with a spring in her step, breathing in the scent of fresh produce. The first thing she put in the cart was a case of Satsuma oranges, followed by mangos, papaya, bananas and one large pineapple. "That's all I need for my smoothie, unless they have agave nectar."

"They do, it's on my list." Nicholas briskly navigated the aisles, tossing everything but the eggs and milk into the cart. His stomach rumbled incessantly; the cashier's eyes widened when it growled like a beast, prompting her to bag the food faster. Nicholas was in no mood to argue when Makoto insisted on paying for the fruit herself, saving him twenty dollars. He sped on the way back home, taking turns like a Grand Prix driver. Makoto faced the window to hide her delight.

"Why the rush?" she asked once they had returned to the mansion. Both she and Nicholas carried as many bags as possible on their arms, which made opening the front door a rather difficult task. They rustled into the kitchen, then Makoto heard a yawn from the living room. _'Trust Usa-chan to wake up when the food arrives.'_

"I'm a bit hypoglycemic, and I was trying not to pass out on you," the boy answered sheepishly. "I didn't eat much last night because I wanted everyone else to have their fill."

"Hypoglycemic people are supposed to avoid empty carbs, bad fats and fake sugar." Makoto paused from slicing her fruit to raise an eyebrow at him. "Doesn't bacon contain all of that?"

The boy grinned. "This stuff is fresh and doesn't have any artificial ingredients. When I joined the football team I spoke with a dietitian who put bacon on a list of banned foods. I didn't eat it for a whole year."

"How tragic," she smirked.

"It was!" Nicholas insisted. "All freshman year this food Nazi kept telling me what I could and couldn't eat, and let me tell you, eggs and wheat bread gets really old after a bit. So this year I went to Bastyr to get another opinion, to see if I could go back to eating good food." He paused to mix the waffle batter. "That was the same day I browsed the plant sale for Zach, when I met you."

Makoto dumped her fruit chunks into the blender and added a splash of apple juice. "And who could have guessed that in a few months we'd be making breakfast together in the gourmet kitchen of an Irish millionaire?" The blender's buzz drowned out her laughter as Nicholas grinned and slapped some batter onto the waffle iron. Surely no one could have guessed _that_, but he was thankful for the circumstances that had led to this moment.

* * *

"Thanks for the ride, Rei-chan!" Usagi and Makoto waved at the retreating Acura before climbing the stairs to their apartment. "That was a really good breakfast you and Nikko made for us," the blonde said cheerily. "He should think about cooking instead of engineering, and then he can work for you when you open your bakery!"

Despite Makoto's scoff, Usagi caught a hint of red in her cheeks. "I know you really want to play matchmaker with us, but it's not going to happen. I still barely know him."

"That just means you need to spend some quality time with him! C'mon Mako-chan, he's like the _perfect_ guy for you!" The brunette ignored her while slipping the key into the lock. "Nicholas is in great shape, he's smart, he has that ruggedly-handsome look going on… And he can _cook!_"

"Forget it!" Makoto returned, pushing the door open. She would have continued had she not dropped the keys and her jaw at the sight of their home. Usagi stepped around her, the clever comeback dissolving into a cry of confusion.

Their apartment was completely trashed.

Makoto looked down at the remains of dishes scattered throughout the kitchen. The circular wooden table was upended with one leg snapped off, and the chairs had been reduced to kindling. In the living room she could see that the décor had been smashed against the walls; the carpet was too plush to shatter anything, although glass was everywhere– the coffee table was in a thousand pieces, the antique vases had been obliterated, and the sliding door to the balcony was just a frame now.

"What happened, Mako-chan?" Usagi looked at her friend through watery eyes, hoping she could magically explain everything. "Who did this to us?"

"I have no idea, but you should call the police. And try not to disturb anything in case there's evidence." Usagi nodded and returned to the landing, dialing 911 with a trembling finger. Ten minutes later two officers showed up, a young man named Danner whistling at the damage.

"I'm sorry for you girls. This was a nice place."

"Yes, it was…" Usagi sniffled. Her head snapped up a moment later and she shot Makoto a look of horror. "Where's Michiru?"

The brunette's expression fell. "What if she was here when they broke in? What if they kidnapped her?!" She immediately tried calling the older girl.

"What's the matter, ladies?" asked Morrison, an older officer with a Southern drawl.

"Our other roommate isn't here!" Usagi shouted in English. "She doesn't teach today and she doesn't usually go out for lunch!"

"And she didn't answer her phone!" Makoto wailed.

Officer Danner held up his hands. "Let's calm down for a second. What's the name of this girl?"

"Michiru Kaiou!" the girls answered together. Danner nodded and returned to his vehicle.

Morrison continued poking around their apartment, jotting things down on a notepad until his radio crackled. The girls couldn't hear what Danner said to him, but the older man sighed deeply. "I hope she's okay," he uttered, then stepped onto the landing where the girls were waiting. "The rookie just finished calling all the hospitals around here. Your friend was admitted to Swedish Medical Center this morning. Another unit picked her up from Magnolia Park around seven."

"Magnolia Park?" Usagi repeated, mirroring her friend's quizzical expression. "Isn't that, like, three miles away?"

"Michiru doesn't jog…" Makoto mused. "There's no reason why she would have been there so early. Maybe the vandals dumped her there."

Usagi's mouth opened and closed a few times as the connotations of that statement ran rampant through her mind. Officer Danner drove them to the hospital while Morrison waited at their apartment for a forensics team. He tried to reassure the girls by saying someone had most likely broken in to steal something, not kidnap Michiru. "I hope Luna got away safely…" Usagi muttered as Danner turned into the hospital parking lot.

"Maybe _she_ was what they wanted to steal," Makoto said, earning a fearful look. "Sorry, but purebred dogs get stolen all the time. I bet the same thing happens to cats."

"Gee thanks, that makes me feel so much better," Usagi returned. She kept quiet while the young officer led them to Michiru's room. Much to their relief she was sitting up in bed and didn't appear traumatized at all. They both hugged her and battered her with questions until she held up a hand.

"I'm glad you found me," was the first thing Michiru said. "I lost my phone and wasn't sure how to contact you since I haven't memorized your numbers." A large bandage on her cheek hindered her regretful smile. "Nobody caused these injuries, I earned them myself. Apparently I went for a hike in my pajamas."

"What do you mean 'apparently'?" Makoto demanded. "Don't you remember doing it?"

Michiru shook her head. "I have no idea how I got to that park. One doctor suggested I sleepwalked, and nobody stopped me or thought anything of it because I appeared to be awake. I told him I didn't have a history of somnambulism but they want to keep me overnight to see if it happens again."

"So do you know what happened to our apartment?" Usagi asked.

Her amber eyes narrowed. "What happened to our apartment?"

"Someone broke in and wrecked everything," Makoto answered. Michiru's shock quickly turned to denial. She refuted the claim by saying they lived in a nice area, that someone had to be really gutsy or really stupid to break in with so many people around. She asked if her friends were joking, but their somber expressions finally convinced her.

It's okay…" Michiru said after taking several deep breaths, "I have renter's insurance. We'll get everything replaced." Her eyes flicked between them. "Were any of your valuables taken?"

"I don't think so," Usagi answered. "My figures and manga were knocked off the shelves, but they were all there." Even though she was being completely serious, the brunettes started laughing.

"I think if someone wanted to steal a bunch of action figures and comics they would break into Uwajimaya, not our room," Makoto teased. At that the trio knew everything would be all right. Danner came in to gather a report from the violinist, then they bid her goodbye. Usagi faltered at the door and turned back, digging in her purse for the necklaces. The aquamarine teardrop pendant would look beautiful against Michiru's ivory skin and dark hair.

"I don't know what to say, Usa-chan… Thank you so much." After fastening it she gently took hold of Usagi's hand. "Has anyone told you that you're a very selfless person? That's a rare quality to find in people these days."

The compliment made Usagi glow and she felt guilty that neither she nor Makoto could drive Michiru home when she was released… if their apartment could still be called that since it was now a crime scene. Officer Danner confirmed her deduction when he asked if they had somewhere to stay while repairs were made, prompting an argument.

"We're not staying with _them_," Makoto hissed. "It's one thing to spend the night on their couch, but I'm _not_ living with five guys for a whole week!"

"Where else can we go, Mako-chan?" Usagi countered. "We can't afford a hotel, and we don't really know anyone from school. Plus, they have cars so they can drive us around."

"Yeah, in exchange for gas money." Makoto crossed her arms tightly. "I'll stay in a homeless shelter before living with those five for an undetermined amount of time!"

"No you won't." Usagi's voice was firm enough to make her friend yield. She then called Mamoru and explained the situation to him, maintaining a cheerful tone while his became fraught with concern. He was finally placated by the knowledge that Michiru's insurance would pay to replace just about everything that had been ravaged.

"What about Luna?" the boy inquired. "Did you find her?"

"No, not yet…" Usagi sighed, "but I have a feeling she'll turn up. She found me once before."

* * *

When Usagi and Makoto returned to the mansion with several suitcases of clothing and personal items, Zach greeted them with a beaming smile. "You couldn't get enough of this place, huh?" The tall girl rolled her eyes and strode past him, stopping in the great room where the other four boys were gathered. She noticed they all wore expressions of genuine concern

"I can't believe this happened to you," Kaelan said. "Someone really wanted to ruin your sense of security. Do either of you have any enemies? Someone jealous of how grand you are?" Usagi smiled weakly at his attempt and shook her head. "Well, make yourselves at home here. Don't hesitate to ask for anything."

"We'll need rides to school and our jobs. We should probably work out a schedule, but we need to wash our clothes first." Makoto held up her favorite bolero jacket with black smudges all over it. "The cops dusted everything for fingerprints."

"Even your _unmentionables?_" Zach gasped. He shook his head disdainfully when the girls nodded. "What kind of freak would break into a place just to plunder your panties?"

Nicholas shrugged. "Probably some loser who can't get laid."

"That makes _you_ a suspect, then," said Joe, grinning mischievously.

"You're one to talk!" the engineer shot back. Usagi giggled while they argued for a minute about who had the most experience, naming Kaelan the winner.

Makoto just sighed and carried her clothes to the laundry room. Usagi appeared a few minutes later, still smiling. "See, Mako-chan? It won't be so bad here."

"I'm going to break something if I have to hear more details about what Kaelan's done with Mina. And by 'something' I mean his face." Her own wore a look of disgust. "She's our _friend_, Usa-chan. You can't expect me to be okay with listening to that stupid rich boy talk about her like an object."

The smile faded slightly. "Kaelan's just exaggerating. That's what guys do!"

"Well _you_ would know since you've been with so many of them."

Something deep within Usagi broke open and filled her with a hot mixture of ire and shame. She knew her best friend didn't really mean that; Makoto was just shielding her feelings with harshness. Whoever vandalized their apartment _had_ ruined their sense of security, but it was worse for Makoto– she already lost her family once. Usagi and Michiru were her new one, and she was terrified of what could have happened to them. She was mad at herself for being helpless in this situation. It was her duty to protect the people she cared about, but she had failed to defend the castle.

Usagi needed to tell her best friend that none of this was her fault. No one could have predicted a break-in so there was nothing Makoto could have done to prevent it. She easily pictured the scene if they'd all been there– Makoto would have marched out to meet the intruder and unleashed her karate prowess on them. But what if they had a weapon? What if she got shot or stabbed trying to protect her friends? She was bold enough to face mortal danger without considering the consequences.

The image of Makoto dying replaced Usagi's anger. Tears began sliding down her cheeks while her nails dug into her palms. "I know you don't mean that…" she said tremulously. "I know you're blaming yourself for what happened." Confliction flickered in Makoto's eyes. "And I know I made a lot of stupid decisions in high school, but I really wish you would stop using them to attack me. I didn't want to come here to be surrounded by boys." She felt a shred of satisfaction as guilt flooded the brunette's countenance. "Can't you just admit that we'll be safe here?"

Makoto's lips parted in denial, but it was futile. Her friend saw right through her. "I'm sorry, Usa-chan…" Now _she_ was the one crying as she gave Usagi the tightest hug possible. "I'm sorry I'm such a bad friend. I don't think you wanted to come here just for attention… You trust them so I will, too. I'm so sorry…"

Usagi felt her friend's cheek on her crown and clung to Makoto until she ran out of tears. They separated, dried their eyes and waited for their complexions to clear up, then they returned to the great room. Zach held the t-shirt he'd been wearing out to them and asked, imploringly, if the girls could include it in their wash. "What's wrong with it?" Makoto asked.

"This asshole spit soda on me." He jerked his thumb at Nicholas, who shook from the effort of withholding his bellowing laughter. Joe covered his face with one hand and Mamoru also tried not to laugh.

Kaelan finished removing the pillow covers from one of the sofas. Usagi tilted her head in question and he straightened with a sigh, gesturing to their suitcases. "Zach, being a nosy fecker, started going through your stuff. He found your lady products and presented them like a world cup trophy. Joe flipped and made Nicholas spit out his drink." He turned to the blond boy, thrusting the soiled covers at him. "So since _you_ were acting the maggot, you can clean up."

Usagi stared at the innocent box of tampons on the floor. The boys followed her gaze, Joe's face immediately turning cherry red. Nicholas and Mamoru dissolved into peals of laughter as Kaelan pinched the bridge of his nose and Zach stomped off to the laundry room. Makoto sighed in resignation. She had to deal with shenanigans like this for a whole week.

* * *

It was easy for the three girls to get into the swing of things. Michiru was well-acquainted with many people in her program at Cornish and got driven around by a talented pianist named Samuel. She was rarely seen by anyone, even her best friends, since her social calendar was always full. If she wasn't teaching young violin students or practicing with Sam, she was having dinner at fancy eateries and rubbing elbows with local talent managers.

Usagi sighed as she flopped onto her designated couch-bed. "Michiru is _always_ going out to have fun. Why don't we do that?"

"Because we have classes and jobs and no friends besides each other?" Makoto offered. The blonde stuck out her bottom lip at how lame that made them sound.

Joe, who had picked them up from school, paused with one foot on the stairs. "You don't consider us friends?"

Makoto floundered for a moment, having forgotten that he was fluent in Japanese. "We do… but, I mean, you guys are all older than us. We couldn't go to a bar with you or anything."

"There are lots of things to do around here besides bar hopping. There are museums, the aquarium, the Pacific Science Center and IMAX, theater shows, outdoor activities…" He glanced at his housemates for more suggestions.

"We'd even go shopping with you if you asked," Nicholas supplied, like it would be a great sacrifice of their time. Makoto intended to hold him to his word. For now, though, she had to prepare for work at Amabie. While she went to take a shower, Usagi helped Joe trim some plants in the conservatory.

"I've noticed that Makoto doesn't have much of a filter," he stated.

"No, not really… but she's good at apologizing."

"She didn't want to stay with us, did she? Mamoru told me about your apartment. I can tell she hates being uprooted."

Usagi gave a small nod. "Yeah. Michiru put on a brave face, too. She was so proud of that place."

"Have you heard anything from the police? Do they have any leads or suspects?"

The girl started to answer, but Kaelan's voice entered the greenhouse and drowned it out. "Usagi! There's someone here for you!" She looked at Joe like he'd predicted the future before making her way to the front entrance. Once Kaelan finished greeting the guest and stepped aside, her hand flew to her mouth in utter disbelief.

Luna was in the arms of the visitor.

It was a young woman with deep brown skin and even darker eyes. She wore relaxed cargo jeans, a white halter top, and stacks of white and gold bangles on each arm. "This cat belongs to you," she said with a rich accent.

"Th-thank you…" Usagi stammered. The girl lowered Luna into her arms, towering over her by at least ten inches. She wasn't much shorter than Nicholas, who stood at six-foot-three.

"Where are you from?" the linebacker blurted.

"Originally Ghana, but I have traveled the globe. My name is Nia." She refocused on the blonde girl. "Keep her close from now on. Do not let her go wandering."

Usagi nodded several times. "I promise I will. Where did you find her?"

"_She_ came to me. She is a very good cat, but I knew someone missed her." Nia dipped her head and smiled at the contrasting pair before gracefully taking her leave. The sudden absence of her presence left everyone without words for a few minutes, and in that time Zach came home.

"Who was that incredibly _fine_ lady? She looked like a supermodel." He smirked at Kaelan. "Are you courting her? Is she your media wife?"

"What? No. How do you even come up with that shite?" He gave Zach a not-so-gentle push and went into the kitchen, Joe following a moment later.

Nicholas scratched Luna's chin while Zach hung up his jacket and kicked off his shoes. Only after that did he notice the black feline. "Is that a baby bobcat?"

"Of course not!" Usagi chided. "This is Luna. I lost her when our apartment was vandalized. That supermodel-girl found her and brought her here."

He blinked a few times as a response, then asked, "How did she know where you were?"

"I wondered that as well," Nicholas added.

Usagi started to say they were being paranoid when her phone interrupted by blaring "Sunkiss Drop" from DDR Supernova 2. She didn't recognize the number and gave a cautious "hello?"

"Miss Tsukino? This is Andrew Danner from Seattle PD."

"Oh, hi. Are you calling about the investigation?"

"Partially. A young lady contacted our animal department about a found cat. I realized it was yours based on the picture you provided, so I gave her your temporary address."

"Thanks, Officer Danner. She just dropped off Luna not two minutes ago."

"That's great to hear. I also wanted to let you know that forensics managed to lift a few prints from the furniture in your apartment, namely the kitchen table, and got a match for them. I was wondering if you and your friends could take a look at a few photos to see if you recognize anyone from the places you frequent."

_'Finally, some suspects!'_ Usagi thought. "We'd be glad to. Oh, but Makoto is about to leave for work and Michiru's out with friends. Should we come by the station tomorrow?"

"I can email you the photos so you can show your friends when they have time. If you're able to identify anyone you can come to the station then."

Usagi agreed, ended the call and opened her laptop, refreshing her inbox every five seconds. Nicholas and Zach hovered over her shoulder so they could be part of the action. Usagi downloaded the six attachments and opened the first one, a white male named Adrien Levesque. "Sounds French," Zach muttered. The next portrait was of a teenage Chinese girl named Wen Xuezhi. The next three people –Pakistani, Brazilian, and Australian– were teenagers as well.

"None of these people are from here, or even American," Usagi remarked. "Why are they suspects?" The answer came when she opened the final photo. She gasped, recoiling from the monitor while the boys leaned forward. Zach yelled "holy shit!" and snatched up her phone to redial the officer.

"This is Danner," he answered.

"Yeah hi. Listen, we need a K-9 unit or something up in here like right now."

"Who is this? This number is for Miss Tsukino, not some kid trying to make a prank call."

"You don't understand," Zach said disjointedly. "That girl? That…" He squinted at the screen to read her name. "Nia Baffour? She was just in our _house_."


	11. Mirage

**Chapter Eleven: Mirage**

Makoto heard sirens off in the distance as she dried her hair. She didn't realize they were steadily drawing closer until she heard the dull murmuring of a crowd, so she hurriedly dressed in her work uniform and left the bathroom, stopping dead in her tracks upon seeing a swarm of Seattle police officers, a SWAT team, and a man and woman in matching FBI jackets. "What's going on?" she dared to ask.

Usagi interrupted her conversion with Morrison and Danner to answer. "Someone found Luna," she grinned, though it seemed forced.

"Too bad that someone turned out to be a member of a crime syndicate," Zach deadpanned. "We might have to enter a witness protection program."

"That won't be necessary," said the female FBI agent, who held out her hand for Makoto to shake. "Carla Fisher. This is my partner, Luke Bedford. Did you witness this woman today?" She proffered a photo but Makoto didn't recognize the girl in it.

"No, I've been getting ready for work," she explained. "What's all this about? Are we in danger or something?"

"We believe the woman who returned Miss Tsukino's cat was the one who broke into your apartment, or was an accomplice at the very least. She goes by the alias Nia Baffour, but her real name is Nyamékye Silasi. She's affiliated with an international organization of jewelry thieves." Carla withdrew more photos from the file. "These are some of her known associates. Do any of them look familiar? Maybe you've seen them loitering near your apartment building or other places you frequent?"

"I haven't, sorry," Makoto said regretfully. Agent Fisher didn't seem daunted by her lack of helpfulness. "Why would an organization like that go after _us?_ The most valuable thing in our apartment was Michiru's violin, but she usually leaves it locked in storage at Cornish. They'd know that if they were stalking us."

"What about those necklaces?" Joe chimed in, staring at the blonde girl. "Usagi had a bunch of them." Carla raised a curious eyebrow as Makoto suddenly felt her stomach lurch. Her hand automatically went to the topaz hidden beneath her shirt. She wouldn't tell anyone about it; she couldn't let them take it from her. Once everyone became focused on Usagi, she stole away to the conservatory.

After Kaelan finished speaking with Agent Bedford about security measures, it was decided that two units would remain on patrol in case Nia returned to his property. In addition to being a beauty pageant winner since age five, Nia had degrees in cultural and religious studies as well as a Master's in psychology. "She's a genius sociopath," Bedford explained, "so she's very good at manipulating people. Some of her victims back in the UK admitted that they couldn't resist her magnetic personality. She made it seem like they were the most important people in the world before disappearing from their lives."

"I see," Kaelan said dismissively. "If she's really as smart as you say, I doubt she'll come back here since she knows you're hot on her trail."

One of the Seattle officers cleared his throat behind the agent. "Speaking of trails, the dogs didn't pick up anything."

Bedford grunted his thanks before giving the boys a stern look. "You should all try to memorize those faces. If you see somebody who even bears a vague resemblance to one of her associates, contact us right away."

"Right. We'll keep a lookout." Kaelan ushered the remaining personnel out the front door, closed it, and stared at the intricately carved wood for a few seconds. When he turned around he crossed his arms and scrutinized Usagi. "You said you had no idea why anyone would want to steal from you. I'd bet money that Silasi was after your hoard of jewelry!"

She scowled back at him. "It's not a _hoard_, and the police took all but the ones I already gave away."

"But where did you get them, Usagi?" Joe almost felt like he'd thrown her under the bus, but if it would prevent criminals from robbing _them_… "I don't mean to offend you, but there's no way you could afford all those necklaces working at Nordstrom. Those were genuine gemstones on precious metal chains."

She couldn't provide an answer, at least not one that made sense. Who would believe the necklaces came from a compact Mamoru found on the beach? Usagi absently rolled the conical moonstone between her fingers while focusing on the carpet. None of them were responsible for any part of this situation, but now she questioned her actions. What if it _was_ her fault, somehow?

Since Usagi had turned into a silent statue, Kaelan tutted and went upstairs to his room, closing the door rather forcefully. Everyone knew he was worried about the bad press the police-turned-FBI investigation might generate. "I'm going to make cider," Joe declared in an attempt to diffuse tension. Zach returned to his room and Nicholas left to track down Makoto, leaving Usagi alone in front of the fireplace. The isolation made her shiver, so she arranged some wood and paper in the hearth, setting it ablaze just as Mamoru arrived.

"Why are there police cars outside?" he loudly inquired.

"For our protection!" Joe shouted back. "The person who burgled the girls' apartment is an international jewelry thief!"

"What?!" Mamoru walked into the kitchen with his mouth agape. "Are you being serious?"

"Of course I'm serious," he returned with a frown. "Why would I make up something like that? The fingerprints found in the girls' apartment belong to someone named Nyamékye Silasi. She became a notorious thief in London. The FBI is also investigating her. They left about ten minutes ago." Mamoru was astounded by this information. If he hadn't been at UW for six hours straight he could have been part of the action, too. "A SWAT team was also here!" Joe called as he left to speak with Usagi, and he lamented even more.

Mamoru didn't spot her at first. She and Makoto had pushed two of the couches close together so they could talk at night, and now there was a blanket stretched over them. He walked in front of the fire and peered into the makeshift tent, finding Usagi wrapped in her pink comforter with a pillow beneath her chin. "Can I come in?"

"Sure," she mumbled. She scooted over so he had room to lie down, though it was still a snug fit.

"Why are you hiding out in here?"

She sighed dejectedly. "I'm pretty sure everyone hates me."

"I don't think it's humanly possible to hate you," the boy reassured.

"Well Kaelan does, and Joe's on his side."

"What did they say?"

"They asked me about the necklaces."

"You mean there's more than one?" Usagi nodded. "How many more?" She held up all of her fingers. "There were _eleven_ in that little compact? Does it have a false bottom?"

"No," she said flatly, "they just fell out of it one by one. I gave one to Makoto, one to Rei, and one to Michiru. The police took the rest of them today. They think Nia was after them, but I've been carrying them around since last Saturday." Usagi abruptly faced him. "She returned Luna to me, Mamo-chan. She found out that someone reported her missing and came all the way here to give her back. _I_ didn't do that when I found her." Mamoru hummed thoughtfully.

Usagi went on. "The police believe she entered our apartment while we were here for the star party, realized there was nothing of much value to take, and cat-napped Luna so she could find out where we were. But it's impossible for her to have known about the necklaces because I only discovered them that night. I had to lie to the police by saying I lost the receipts, and Joe thinks I stole them."

Mamoru wasn't quite sure what to say. Usagi needed to be reassured so he draped an arm over her shoulders. She sighed and leaned into him, staring at the dancing flames for answers. Why was she even here right now? So many coincidences had occurred over the last few months to push her into contact with Mamoru, Kaelan, Mina and the others… but was it really just happenstance? Usagi began considering the possibility that the higher powers truly had a plan for her, though it would be nice to know what was supposed to come of it all.

* * *

Nobody went to sleep in a timely manner, but even so Usagi was the last to doze off well after midnight. She didn't dream so much as remember Nyamékye Silasi handing Luna to her. She seemed genuinely happy to reunite them; Usagi hadn't gotten the sense that Nia had an ulterior motive. She also didn't seem like the kind of person who could have destroyed their apartment. Nia came across as calm and collected, always in control of her emotions, yet the person who trashed the apartment seemed to have done so in a rage.

All the stress and anxiety Usagi suppressed since the break-in manifested as an unusually lucid dream. She wandered through a maze of white marble corridors, constantly glancing over her shoulder to ensure no one followed, and came upon a room containing a metallic arch with intricately carved designs; a control panel with runed buttons stood to one side. Apparently her dream-self knew how to read the myriad symbols, for she entered a sequence that made the arch crackle to life.

After shielding her eyes against an intense wave of energy, she stood facing a lush green meadow dotted with flowers, none of which were species she could name. The image wavered slightly and wispy tendrils reached toward her when she approached the pastoral scene. She experienced a sudden head rush, and then she was standing in the meadow. She smiled and took a deep breath of fresh air, inhaling all the different floral perfumes. She could see individual dewdrops lingering on blades of grass and feel creatures both small and large churning the dirt beneath her feet. She looked toward the bright blue sky, hearing a hawk cry as it ascended on a thermal.

Yes, this place made Usagi feel truly alive. She was almost overwhelmed by her senses the first time she came here, but she quickly realized that _her_ home was what had diminished them so severely. She lived in a cold, stark place with selfish people, chief among them her father. He wanted to claim this planet in his name, to take what he wanted without regard for the plants, animals, or the people who tended them. He didn't understand that they all depended on one another for survival, and eradicating the people would transform the planet into a barren wasteland.

That horrible imagery almost made Usagi turn back, but her newly-keen ears caught a word on the wind and her magnified vision saw a figure approaching. _"Selene!"_ the young man called, and just hearing his voice made her heart flutter. His long legs quickly brought him to her, then they shared a kiss. She hadn't realized how much she desired be in his embrace, to be loved by the prince and protector of this planet, Endymion. _"I missed you,"_ he murmured into her cloud-white hair.

_"And I you,"_ she replied. How was it that his heart beat so steadily while hers resounded like a war drum? _"My father is very determined to keep us apart."_

_"Yet you managed to escape his guards again."_ Endymion leaned back to offer a partial smirk. _"I fear he may resort to locking you away."_

Selene sighed slightly, accepted his hand, and began the lengthy walk from the portal to Endymion's sanctuary. _"Pronoia confronted me about what she's seen in the Eye."_

_"Curse that relic,"_ the prince muttered.

_"She offered to help me,"_ Selene kindly explained. _"She said you and I have the power to change the entire solar system. If we can persuade the Council to make Terra a member of the Inner Alliance, the Outers will join as well, and we'll be unified for the first time in centuries."_ Now she scoffed lightly. _"My father is so focused on this planet that he's completely ignorant of the Dark Cloud. Pronoia can see that they're building fearsome weapons."_

Endymion hesitated before asking, _"What sort of weapons?"_

_"Ones that use particle acceleration, light amplification, and electromagnetic waves."_

_"Lasers, quasars and pulsars,"_ he deduced. _"They must be attempting to construct a black hole– those are mere side effects. If they succeed, we'll all be doomed."_

_"I'll be able to pass on in peace having known your love."_ Endymion came to a sudden halt, looking at her in shock before his expression shifted to admiration.

_"You do not fear death?"_ he asked. Selene shook her head. _"Even after all this time you can still surprise me."_ Her cheeks grew warm and she trained her gaze on the grass, but Endymion slipped a finger beneath her chin and lifted her head. _"I wish I were brave enough not to fear my own mortality, but because I do, I cannot take a single moment of my life for granted. When my final breath comes, I hope it is with you at my side and our fingers entwined, like this…"_ He drew their hands to his chest, which Selene could feel pounding, _"so it will be you who leads me to the realm where our souls can remain together forever."_

_"Endymion…"_ she started to say, but he descended upon her lips with a desire he could no longer withhold. In that moment she decided it was time to become one with him in body and spirit.

* * *

Usagi awoke startled, sweating, and uncomfortably aroused. Her lips felt puffy, as if she'd been making out with someone for hours on end, and her whole body tingled with excitement. What in the world had impelled her subconscious to form a sex dream? She reached for a glass of water on the side table and was promptly scared out of her skin when her hand landed on a piece of icy metal that made her yelp. Makoto stirred on the opposite couch as Usagi felt around for her phone, which she used to illuminate the mysterious object.

It was a necklace, but not hers. She wore the moonstone at all times. As her mind was pulled from its sleepy haze she saw that there were actually _multiple_ necklaces on the side table. They were in fact the ones she had surrendered to Seattle PD earlier that day. Everything about the dream vanished, replaced by complete and utter terror. The light of her phone fell upon a small piece of paper.

_"__I can explain if you come out to the gazebo."_

It wasn't signed, but Usagi was certain that Nia Silasi penned the note. How had she gotten inside the house to leave it? Did this mean she was waiting in the gazebo right now?

Usagi put on a hoodie and went to the deck exit, noticing frost on the outer glass door. Dare she go to the gazebo? She made up her mind when Luna trotted up and placed her front paws on the door in a very beseeching manner. Usagi felt a little more at ease knowing Luna would be with her. She steeled herself and slipped into the chilly night.

"Nia?" she whispered from the stone path, "Are you there?" Something moved within the shadows, sending her heart into a beating frenzy, but suddenly, as if by magic, the clouds parted and a half moon bathed the area in pale luminescence. Usagi was still slightly afraid to see the tall, darkly-dressed girl looking directly at her, her features as impassive as a Greek statue. "What do you want from me?"

"I need one of those pendants," she answered quietly, "I need one now. Something is after me, and I won't survive long without your blessing."

"My blessing?" Usagi repeated. "What do you mean? Why didn't you just keep them when you stole them from the police?"

Nia knelt to pet Luna, who had chittered excitedly and gone right to her. "I wish that hadn't been necessary, but please listen when I say the necklaces only belong in the hands of those who can wield them. You can't give them to just anyone."

"So why should I give one to _you?_"

A little smirk turned Nia's full lips. "Because _I_ can control it. Right now I'm the only one of us who can." She withdrew a small round object from her pocket, holding it out for Usagi's inspection. The copper compact was the darker twin to her nacre one. Its lid was streaked with oxidization and inside was a polished jade cabochon. Around it were four smaller stones in blue, brown, dark green and white. "Don't you understand yet? The pendants are the key to unlocking the power within these."

"What kind of power?" Usagi grew dizzy from the myriad questions forming in her mind, questions she knew Nia had answers to. The compact, the necklaces, her friends… They were all connected somehow. Shaking her head in frustration, Usagi examined the seven gems in her palm. Which one belonged to Nia? She didn't know her as well as her friends. The topaz was indicative of Makoto's energy, the ruby of Rei's intensity, and the aquamarine of Michiru's gentleness. Her eyes lingered on the oval peridot attached to a gold chain. At the very least it would match the colors of her compact. Nia didn't ask if Usagi was certain of her decision, she just accepted the pendant in stoic silence, nodding her thanks. "Now what?"

"Now I face our enemy head-on." Nia grinned, flashing a set of perfect teeth. "I've avoided our foes since the day I found my compact, but now that I have this pendant, I have a feeling they'll go after the other guardians." Usagi furrowed her brow. "I'll try to prevent that from happening, but you had better find them quickly."

"Guardians of what?"

"The planets, of course!" Nia said with a wink.

* * *

Kaelan had nothing to do on Thursday. Zach had flown home to New Orleans for Thanksgiving and the rest of his housemates had turned the simple task of grocery shopping into a group expedition. Since Michiru, Makoto and Usagi would be returning to their apartment in two days, they wanted to make a nice dinner as thanks for hosting them. Although he'd initially been indifferent about it, Kaelan now realized he was going to miss them. Things were always cleaner and more organized with women around.

He idly flipped through cable channels until reaching a local news station, catching a headline that made him sit up in bed: _UW visitor prevents shooter from opening fire_. Kaelan ignored the reporter, focusing on the sea of students behind her. They were talking a mile a minute, gesticulating wildly, crying, holding one another, speaking into cell phones or to cops and security officers. Everyone looked visibly shaken except the visitor who had saved the day.

It was Nyamékye Silasi.

"Holy Christ…" Kaelan breathed, and dialed Mina's number as fast as humanly possible. "Mina! What the fuck is going on over there?"

"I guess you saw the news," she said with a weak laugh. "Don't worry, everyone's fine. The shooter didn't get the chance to kill anyone."

"Do you know who that girl is, the one who stopped him?"

"Uh, yeah. I think her name's Nia?" She asked around before returning the phone to her mouth. "Yeah, Nia Silasi."

"She's a fucking criminal!" Kaelan shouted.

"How dare you say that? She's a hero!"

He could tell by the affronted tone of her voice that she was about to hang up on him. "No, Mina, she's the person who destroyed Usagi and Makoto's place!" That had to have gotten her attention. "She was at my house yesterday, too! The FBI is investigating her, and she's wanted for grand larceny in England!"

The other line was silent for a moment. "The police are cuffing her… Oh my god, Kaelan, what's going on? She _saved_ everyone! Ami and I were right there when it happened!"

"I'm coming to get you two," he declared, and was dressed and out the door in just under a minute. There was a neighborhood cop on patrol, but he didn't have a chance at catching the Maserati. Kaelan skillfully wove between highway traffic and screeched to a crooked halt upon arriving at the parking lot nearest the library. "Mina! Mina!" he called while shoving past people. It was times like this he was thankful for his rugby-toned physique.

When he reached the lawn he ran into a mob shouting at the police for arresting Nia. "Hero" was being said liberally, but if they only knew… Kaelan heard his name and spun around in time to catch the blonde as she flung herself against him. She sobbed hysterically, her arms squeezing tight enough to break a rib. Ami approached in a calmer manner, but she visibly shook. "Mina just realized that we could have died today," she stated.

"I want every detail," Kaelan said.

"We were coming back from the library, talking about what to get for lunch, when this man in a long jacket stepped out in front of us. We were right about there, at that lamp post." She pointed across the lawn to a wide path. "The man asked if we could help him find one of the buildings, and we asked which one, but then he pulled out a gun and we froze up. I didn't even think about grabbing my pepper spray."

"Th-th-then Nia came up behind him…" Mina shuddered, "and whacked him in the back."

"It was a good kick," Ami added. "I bet she knows some kind of martial art."

"So he dropped the gun and fell to his knees, and we screamed, and he picked it back up and aimed at Nia…"

"She lashed out again and broke his arm. I heard the bone snap. Then she stood on it so he couldn't move, and I called the police. A few security guards arrived to make sure he didn't get away. That's all that really happened." Ami shrugged as if she weren't relaying such a harrowing experience.

Now Kaelan was even more conflicted. Nia Silasi belonged to a criminal organization and she had trashed Michiru's apartment. She had also brought back Usagi's cat and saved hundreds of lives just now. He was jarred from his thoughts when someone behind him asked "Mr. Burke?" It was a cop who garnered an automatic glare. "How does it feel to know that your home is safe from Silasi?"

"Good, I suppose."

"Great," the cop nodded. "Listen, the FBI would like you and your friends to make some public statements about how you were victimized by Silasi. You're not the first people to suffer because of her crimes."

"What other crimes is she accused of, Officer?" Ami asked.

"Well, they're so numerous, but the money she makes from selling stuff on the black market funds African extremist groups."

The three young adults shared a look. "That doesn't sound like the kind of person who would stop a campus shooter," Ami remarked. Kaelan grunted in agreement.

"I don't want to make a statement. I'm not one of her victims," he said.

The cop narrowed his eyes at the trio "Well, your _girl_ friends don't have a choice since they're the primary witnesses in this investigation. Would _you_ like to drive them to the station, or should I?"

"We'll see you there," Kaelan answered. Mina shivered at his icy tone.

* * *

"What were you doing on campus on Thanksgiving?" Agent Fisher inquired of Ami and Mina.

"It's an American holiday. We're Japanese," the former placidly replied. "We're both medical students with a lot of homework. That's why we were in the library."

Mina had not uncrossed her arms since sitting down in the interrogation room. "Are you saying it would have been _our_ fault for being there if we got shot?"

Fisher looked alarmed. "That's not what I'm saying at all! I was just curious. I think you two are incredibly lucky– usually these kinds of events end with at least one body in the morgue."

"Yeah, well, that didn't happen because of _Nia_," Mina said pointedly. "When can we talk to her? We haven't been able to thank her for saving our lives."

The woman leaned across the table to give them a stern look. "You girls need to realize that one act of heroism does not undo a lifetime of crime, especially on an international scale. Nia Silasi is a dangerous person."

"Allegedly," Ami said.

Agent Fisher pursed her lips, sighed, and stood up. "If it will make you more receptive to future inquiries regarding this case, I'll allow you to speak to her very briefly."

The girls both nodded and followed her into another room where Nia was handcuffed to the table. Ami noted that she didn't look at all surprised to see them, nor did her expression change when Mina threw her arms around her. "Please do not make physical contact with the suspect," said a monotone voice through the intercom.

"Sorry!" Mina waved it off and grinned at Nia. "Thank you so much for being there today."

"It was no trouble," she said, returning the smile. "I was just in the right place at the right time."

"But you're not a UW student," Ami said. "Why were you there?"

"I had an appointment for a… polysomnography." One of her eyebrows rose while Ami's furrowed. "I don't find much solace during the day now, either." Nia's gaze darted to the door just before Agent Fisher opened it, their cue to leave. "Usagi has something for you," was the last thing they heard.

On the other side of the two-way glass, Agent Bedford chewed on a pencil. "What was that word? Policy-graphy? Do you know what that is?"

"Not a clue," Mina said, emphasizing her cluelessness. "Thanks for letting us talk to her." Bedford waved them away, but they didn't have anywhere to go except out to the parking lot where Kaelan waited. They had, as promised, arrived before the rude cop. Mina saw their driver speaking to Mamoru and jogged up to him. "Hey! What are you doing here?"

"Usagi, Makoto and Michiru had to come in for a routine follow-up." At that both girls spun around and went back inside the station. "Did I miss something?" he asked. Kaelan only shrugged.

Ami and Mina found the distinctive trio in yet another interrogation room, this one large enough to feature a long table. There were a few officers, including Agent Bedford, listening in on the conversation. "Are you sure about this?" Officer Danner asked as they eavesdropped.

"Yes, we don't want to press charges against Nyamékye Silasi," Michiru answered.

"She just saved our friends' lives," Makoto said.

"And we don't believe she did the damage to our apartment," Usagi added.

Officer Danner nodded. "Are you _certain_ you want to ignore the blatant evidence we have against her? Her fingerprints were all over your stuff."

Makoto rolled her eyes. "Just the table, right? How do you know she didn't go to our apartment to return Luna and walked in on the actual vandals? How do you know she didn't _shield _herself behind the table?" Usagi stared at her friend like she was a genius.

"Okay, fine… I get your point. Just know that the prosecuting attorney can subpoena you to testify against her. We'll inform you if it gets to that point."

Ami and Mina backed around a corner, the latter frowning. "I don't get it. Why are the police so certain Nia committed all these crimes?"

"I don't think they are," Ami postulated. "I think they have very little evidence linking her to them and want to use our testimonies to build the case against her. She's guilty by reputation alone, but that will hold up better in court if her victims can sway a jury with their sob stories. The authorities wouldn't sound so desperate if there really were victims in the other cities Nia supposedly heisted in."

Mina nodded, admiring her friend's logic. "What was that word she said to you, the poly one?"

"Polysomnography. It's a test that monitors certain functions during sleep, like brain and muscle activity, to diagnose sleep disorders."

"So Nia was at school for a sleep test? Maybe she has really bad nightmares or something…" A door opened, depositing their friends. "She said Usagi had something for us. We'd better find out what it is."

* * *

Everyone gathered before the large TV in the den, watching the news channels for any information regarding Nia. They kept playing a snippet of security footage that showed the UW intruder approach Ami and Mina before pulling a shotgun on them. All the networks withheld their names at the behest of the police. Finally, around seven o'clock, channel four flashed a "breaking news" banner before presenting several police officers gathered in front of the station.

"Nyamékye Silasi has been acquitted of all charges made against her in the United States and abroad," said Carla Fisher.

"How can you just let her go?" someone off camera shouted. "She funds terrorist groups!"

"Miss Silasi has provided compelling evidence against members of the organization she was suspected to belong to." Agent Bedford glanced at his partner. "The FBI is about to begin a cooperative investigation with various agencies from around the globe, including INTERPOL, to track down these people and bring them to justice. Now, we'll answer your questions one at a time…"

"So they decide she's innocent all of a sudden?" Nicholas asked once Kaelan muted the TV.

"She probably told them where to find all the important people in the syndicate in exchange for her freedom," Joe mused.

"That's exactly what I did," said a voice from behind. There stood Nia, leaning against the door frame and wearing the ghost of a smirk. "I owe those people nothing."

"I think you owe _us_ some explanations," Kaelan demanded. "First, how the _fuck_ did you get in my house?"


	12. Bounce Back

**Chapter Twelve: Bounce Back**

"Adrien recruited me while I was at Oxford," Nia began. She stood before the fireplace with everyone situated around her. "I was the brain of the team– I planned everything down to the most seemingly insignificant detail, which was how all of our heists went off without a hitch. He didn't want to focus our efforts in America, but I told him it'd be worthwhile. So we visited the International Jeweler's Showcase in Miami and disrupted product transport for numerous mining operations."

Kaelan interrupted. "Stop the lights. _Oxford?_ How did you afford tuition there?"

"I won a pageant a few years ago, Miss Teen Africa, and saved the money. I also qualified for a scholarship." Her expression turned glacial in an instant. "Were you wondering how a simple girl from West Africa was accepted by one of the oldest and most elite universities on the planet?" The boy opened his mouth to defend himself but Nia held up a hand. Her nails, Mina noted, were perfectly manicured. "Most people couldn't believe I got in on my own merit. They thought I must have been a charity case. Unlike the majority of my peers, Adrien and his crew didn't care about my ethnicity and background."

Nicholas spoke up next. "And these are the people you've betrayed? You almost make them sound like family."

"Most of them will only be incarcerated for a little while," Nia answered, smiling ruefully. "They're teenagers so their sentences won't be as harsh. Adrien, however, will be imprisoned for life. He does… very unscrupulous things with his money." She was silent for a moment. "But I think that will be reason enough for the young ones to avoid people like him once they reenter society. They're all quite skilled at what they do, and there are plenty of legal applications for their talents."

"Why did you want to come to America in the first place?" Usagi asked. Nia simply looked her in the eye so she could divine the answer herself: _'She was searching for __us__.'_

"It was all about the money," Nia answered for the sake of everyone else. "I've drained most of Adrien's accounts but made sure to leave enough for Interpol to follow his numerous paper trails."

"What are you going to do with it?" Joe inquired.

"Build healthcare centers, fund education efforts in developing countries, fight for women's rights, that sort of thing." She shrugged like it wasn't a big deal. "I figured I should support efforts to undo the damage people like Adrien cause. Especially in Africa, where there is so much hoarding of wealth that it creates poverty, sickness, and civil war."

"Keizoku wa chikara nari…" Mamoru muttered, blushing when Ami grinned at him. Nia's brow furrowed in question.

"It means there is strength gained from perseverance," the short-haired girl explained. "You may be one person, but the changes you desire _will_ happen if you don't give up."

Nia nodded. "Thank you for those wise words. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must return home and fight off the sea of reporters camped out in my yard." Again her attention lingered on Usagi. "I'm sure I'll see you quite soon."

"Wait!" Kaelan shouted, making her turn back. "How'd you get in here in the first place?"

"There's a loose glass panel above the greenhouse," Nia smirked.

"Then how did you get on the roof?!" But she left without further word, and Kaelan sighed in defeat. He motioned for Nicholas and Joe to follow him to the conservatory so they could repair the ceiling, leaving Mamoru and the five girls to their own devices. During the brief silence he watched Mina fiddle with the heart-shaped diamond pendant around her neck.

"Is that new?" he asked.

"Oh, yeah it is," the blonde grinned. "Usagi gave it to me."

Mamoru faced her with wide eyes as her mind raced for an explanation. "The police gave them back to me! You know, since they're no longer needed in the investigation." Yes, that sounded believable.

"I received one as well," Ami added, holding up a radiant emerald for Mamoru's inspection.

"I also gave one to Nia. I thought she deserved it after all this trouble."

"That was kind of you," Michiru said before rising to her feet. "Now if you'll excuse _me_, there's a young producer whom Sam wants me to meet. Try to have a relaxing evening." She paused near the staircase. "And don't eat any of the ingredients we need for tomorrow's dinner!"

"I can make something just as delicious without them," Makoto declared.

"In that case, I could really use something right now. I'm starving!" Mina made a face while rubbing her stomach, prompting everyone to adjourn to the kitchen. It was almost as if things had returned to normal.

* * *

Joe hopped out of Frankenstein and surveyed Bastyr University. Huge evergreens dwarfed the campus and muffled the surrounding metro, providing a serene environment for students to better connect with nature. He wished he had transferred to Bastyr after his first two years at UW, but it was unlike him to finish what he started; he had to see his horticulture degree through to completion. That didn't mean he couldn't augment it with knowledge from someplace else.

He followed the most direct path to the herb garden, which was divided into culinary and medicinal applications. Rei mostly worked with the latter, but today they were packing an herb-infused lunch for their excursion into the Cascade foothills. Joe wanted to show her where his class' conservation efforts had been directed for the past four years and Rei wanted to get away from civilization for a while. Although the weather had granted them a cloudless, sunny day, winter's chill still permeated the air.

When Joe came upon the garden it took him a moment to recognize Rei. Her hair was up in a high bun and she had opted for olive green and taupe instead of typical black. She turned, saw him, and smiled, a hint of color staining her porcelain cheeks. "I decided on something a little more heavy-duty than jeans and a sweatshirt," she explained.

"The wilderness does tend to punish impracticality," he smiled back. "If you're ready to go, I'll just clip a sprig of rosemary… And this lemon thyme… Is that dill?"

Eventually they got on the highway heading northeast into the mountains. Since Rei had never seen the interior of Joe's rig, she was a little stunned by its contents. He seemed prepared to survive nuclear fallout– there were a couple gallons of water and a filtration system, MREs, a large medical kit, a tent, blankets, a fire extinguisher, a solar-powered radio, and various utility knives. "I'm surprised you don't have a gun as well."

"I do, actually," Joe said, making her eyes widen. "It's in the box on the roof. It's a 30-06 rifle."

"Why do you have a gun?" Rei wondered how Ami and Mina would feel about this since they had just been threatened with one.

"I hunt with it, but I've met my share of crazy people in the woods, so I use it as an intimidation factor too. I guess it's a case of having something I would rather not need than needing something I don't have."

She smiled in jest. "You are such a boy scout. 'Be prepared' and all that."

"It's not my fault that survival skills were drilled into me my whole life. There are a lot of paranoid people in my country. If the world ends, they want to ensure 'powerful Russian men dominate the gene pool'." Joe said this in a stereotypical accent that made the girl laugh. After passing several trailheads, he turned onto a logging road following the edge of a ravine. Rei looked out the window and felt her stomach sink– it was a very long way to the ribbon of water at the bottom. "My professor thinks an arm of the Skykomish River carved out this little valley. We found remnants of a mining settlement, but there was never much gold in these mountains. Silver, lead and copper deposits are more common."

Rei felt a little better once they parked. She got out, stretched, and inhaled a breath of fresh air. It seemed like they were the only two people in the world right now; there wasn't another soul around for miles. She shrugged on her backpack and followed Joe into a small clearing. He informed her that his class had been coming to this area to keep an eye on things for four years, but to Rei it appeared not a single blade of grass had borne the weight of a human foot. "Why is this place so important?"

Joe's eyes instantly lit up. "There are a few species of rare flowers we discovered here, and it's my duty as an environmental horticulturalist to protect, observe, and possibly propagate them. One is _swertia perennis_, which we found down in the ravine. Another is _fritillaria camschatcensis_, the chocolate lily, discovered near a bog to the south. And the last is in here."

Rei raised one of her thin eyebrows at the cave's dark maw. It wasn't pitch black; there were shafts of sunlight beaming into it, illuminating a long, narrow tunnel. It almost looked too smooth to be natural. "What is that?"

"A lava tube," he answered, grinning. He then stepped into the gloom, making Rei hurry to catch up. She wasn't very fond of dark, enclosed spaces, so she followed very closely behind him. After five minutes of silence Joe took hold of her hand. "You feel a little clammy."

"This isn't my preferred environment," she returned. "I like being able to feel the sun."

"We won't stay here long, then." He squeezed her fingers as reassurance but Rei hardly relaxed. Joe turned on a flashlight and she was only mildly relieved not to see any massive spiders dangling from the ceiling. There was, however, a fuzzy substance growing along the walls and floor, and a dull roar filled her ears.

"Moss…" she remarked after brushing the wall with her free hand. "There's moisture down here?"

"That noise is an underground river," Joe explained. "We think the source is a glacier on one of the larger neighboring peaks." They emerged from the tunnel into a circular cavern perhaps ten feet high. Rei still felt uneasy, so she thrust her hand into the water for clarity.

"It's warm!" she exclaimed, turning to the boy for an answer.

"We haven't quite figured out why that is. It could be because it never reaches the outside atmosphere, or that there's a lot of vegetation in the riverbed– certain plants, especially freshwater varieties, help keep water warm. It could also be that volcanic heat from upriver is strong enough to reach this particular spot before dissipating downstream. But this isn't exactly what I wanted to show you… Have a look at _this_."

Rei followed the flashlight beam to an odd specimen growing from a chaotic mass of moss, tree roots and detritus. There was a hole to the outside world directly above it, but any sunlight, at least during this time of day, was blocked by thick evergreen boughs. The specimen was tiny with pink and white petals, a pale red stem, and no leaves. "That's a flower?"

"Not just any flower." Rei could feel Joe's aura blooming in excitement. "This is _epipogium aphyllum_, the ghost orchid, one of the rarest plants in the entire _world_." He waited for her to become awe-struck. "It's been found in the Pyrenees and Himalayan mountains, Siberia, Crimea, northern Europe, and very sporadically in the UK."

"So it only grows in cold climates," she reasoned.

"It doesn't have leaves, as you probably noticed, and it doesn't produce chlorophyll, which is what most plants use to perform photosynthesis. It gets nutrients from this species of lichen, or possibly decayed organic matter. Scientists don't actually know how it eats because it's too rare to study."

The girl gave him a scrutinizing look. "You've really been researching this flower for four years and haven't told anyone important about it?"

Joe scoffed. "Who's important, the Department of Natural Resources? If people in the plant world heard about this, they'd flock here and ruin the whole micro ecosystem. There'd be people poking around the lava tube and trying to map the river. This place is a UW environmental science class secret."

"And now my secret as well," Rei deduced. Joe nodded somberly. "All right, I won't tell anyone."

"I know you won't. How about we have lunch here?" She agreed to the suggestion despite her claustrophobia. As Joe mixed the herbs into a spread for their sandwiches, Rei became entranced by the roar of the river. "Bon appetite," he said, walking up behind her. She turned her head so quickly that her glasses flew off and clattered to the stone floor. She and Joe reached for them at the same time, her fingertips landing on his swifter hand. "I didn't mean to startle you. Let me get that…" he started to say, but the words were cut off when they locked eyes.

It wasn't that this was the first time he had actually _seen_ them; Rei took off her glasses around him more than anyone else. What shocked him speechless was the fact that her pupils were dilated to the point where there was almost no color left, but the influx of light should have made them constrict. Joe stared into the gaze of a predator and his brain fired off commands for him to _get away from this dangerous creature right now_. He could feel adrenaline surging through his veins, giving him strength to run, but his body would not obey. He was paralyzed with fear.

Suddenly Rei blinked and looked away, freeing the boy from his stasis. She hurriedly put her glasses back on. "Josef, I'm so sorry. Are you all right? Did I hurt you?"

He sat on the floor in a daze. "I'm not sure. What _was_ that?"

"It's my fault. You scared me, so I… I attacked you with my aura."

Joe stared at her in evident confusion. "Your aura? How does that work?"

"Well, I…" Rei had never told anyone about her odd abilities and wasn't quite sure how to explain them, but she owed it to him. "My aura flared and overcame yours. That's why you were stunned." She turned toward the river to hide her embarrassment as the boy slowly rose to his feet.

He dusted himself off, stuffed the filling back into Rei's sandwich, (which he had clung to in sheer terror), and proffered it. "So you can control and sense auras?"

She nodded briefly. "I don't usually sense them… I _see_ them. Almost every person on the planet has one. They used to overwhelm me until I made these glasses. And I can't control anyone's aura, not even my own. Influence is a better word."

"Then I guess your aura just scared the crap out of mine," Joe laughed. "It must be really weak."

"It's not," Rei refuted, "it's quite bold… and an interesting color. Turquoise."

Joe looked intrigued by this information. "What do you do with a skill like that? Do you judge people based on the colors of their auras?"

His tone was teasing rather than accusatory. "Only a little. For instance, when I first saw Mina, I knew she was energetic and outgoing because she had a yellow aura. I try not to make assumptions about people before I get to know them."

"Don't we all?" He stuffed a handful of almonds into his mouth, speaking around them. "It doesn't seem fair that you have to dampen the rest of the world in order to not see everyone's auras. I wonder if there's a way to turn it off or something."

Rei smiled gently. "It's been nineteen years. I'm used to it by now."

* * *

Zach tapped his foot impatiently as he waited for one of his roommates to pick him up from the SeaTac Light Rail station in the International District. Mamoru's Mercedes arrived and he was grateful to get out of the wind and rain. He sighed while settling into the leather seat, then he flipped down the visor and attempted to fix his hair. He was not expecting a magnified pair of dark brown eyes to be staring back. "Jesus!" he yelled, and Ami smirked a little as he twisted around to face her. "I didn't even see you there!"

"That's because I'm a ninja," she said.

Zach crossed his arms and glared out the window. "I survived a week with my family only for you to nearly give me a heart attack. Thanks a lot."

Mamoru cleared his throat. "How was Thanksgiving? Was everyone happy to see you?"

He shrugged. "More or less. My mom totally iced me out, but that's nothing new. Dad took me golfing, which is boring as… not hell, I guess. Hell would be more exciting than golf." Ami tittered at that. "My Aunt Vivi brought her new husband along. She's almost fifty and he's half her age. Dégueulasse. Uncle Philippe wouldn't shut up about how great life in New York is, and two of my cousins decided to go vegan, which pissed off my mom since they wouldn't eat her cooking." Zach sighed. "Just another episode of My Big Dysfunctional American Family."

"How big is it?" Ami asked. Zach shot her a suggestive look. "Your _family_."

"Philippe is my dad's only brother, unmarried, no kids. Everyone else is from my mom's side. She has two sisters and three brothers, and she's the youngest, so it's really important that she one-up's them all at life. During this time of year it's all about showing off the estate, her new car, some ridiculously expensive artwork, her latest charity work, crap like that." He paused. "I have five cousins and they're either older or younger than me, so I can't really relate to them."

"You don't have any siblings?" Mamoru inquired. He hummed thoughtfully when Zach shook his head. "That means we're all only-children. What an odd coincidence."

"Who's 'we'?" Zach returned.

"All of us, the ten of us. You, me, Kaelan, Usagi…"

Zach rubbed his chin, which had never showed a hint of stubble. "Huh. So we're like a gang of lonely kids. That could be a show, a modern-day Breakfast Club…"

"You can't try writing something else when you're still working on _Eternal Heart_," the girl reminded him.

"The writing's all done," he countered, "I'm co-directing now. And we are _so close_ to perfection. If only Lir would get over himself…"

Ami was curious. "What's wrong with Lir?"

The blond began gesticulating pointedly. "He's great at everything except intimacy. He has to convince the audience of his love for Amalthea, but he tenses up during every scene with just the two of them. The part where Amalthea saves him from the griffin is supposed to be this huge moment when they're finally reunited. The whole premise of the first book is that Amalthea regrets turning back into a unicorn because she loves him, so this one scene reveals that she never forgot about him, never stopped loving him even as a beast…" His words abruptly turned to a roar. "It's the most important scene in the whole play, and he keeps FUCKING IT UP!"

Everyone was silent for a minute. "I'm sorry I asked," Ami nearly whispered. "I didn't mean to upset you."

"No, this is a good thing. You reminded me that I have a lot of work to do with that guy. I bet he thought he'd get to rest on his laurels during break." Zach whipped out his cell phone and left a rather courteous message for the freshman actor named Jackson. When they got to the mansion, however, he muttered a constant stream of expletives at his luggage while hefting it into the house and up the stairs, letting everyone know what kind of mood he was in.

He was placated by the dinner Michiru, Usagi and Makoto provided. It was comfort food of the Japanese variety– simple dishes made with gratitude that warmed everyone through to the bone. There was sake as well, and various sweets from Usagi's private stash including chocolate-covered macadamia nuts, Yan Yan, melon hard candies and various fruit gummies. Zach had a difficult time opening his bottle of Ramune, but Ami intervened before his frustration boiled over again. "Why're you being s'nice to me?" he slurred, having downed several shots of rice liquor.

"I don't want you to throw the bottle against the wall." His expression agreed that was indeed a viable outcome. Zach swung the Ramune back and forth, staring at the trapped marble while Ami sat beside him. "Earlier you made it sound like seeing your family was an inconvenience. You said your mother was frigid… Do you want to talk about it?"

Zach sighed in resignation. "Not really, but I prob'ly should. Thanksgiving was the first time I'd seen or even really talked to her since I left. My parents thought I'd study law like my dad and apprentice at his firm, follow his footsteps and all that. When I told them I was pursuing theater, my mother acted like it was the end of the world."

"Why didn't they support you?"

"Dad did, he always has. Marrying my mother was a huge social boost for him. She comes from old money and her family has a ton of influence on local politics and stuff. My dad represents these politicians when they get in trouble, so if he ever fails his reputation will be ruined. And they wonder where I get my dramatics from." Zach chuckled to himself. "While growing up my mom always talked about securing my future, but never actually asked what _I_ wanted."

Ami contemplated her own family dynamics while Zach downed the Ramune. She loved swimming and science equally, but studying neurogenetics was clearly the more logical choice. If she'd chosen swimming, she wouldn't be able to do it all her life; she'd become frail eventually, but knowledge lasted forever. She envisioned herself a teacher in her old age.

Of course it occurred to her that she was just doing what her mother did, which might have been taking the easy street. But Ami would do anything to make her mother proud, since she was the only family she had. Well, that wasn't quite fair– she knew of her father, but he had shirked his parental responsibilities for which her mother was eternally resentful. Mizuno Saeko had worked very hard to obtain her opulent lifestyle; she raised a child while putting herself through medical school, so it was the least Ami could do to show her admiration and gratitude by becoming just as successful.

Zach's phone chimed, drawing Ami back to the present. Most of her inebriated friends were watching Wheel of Fortune on the large TV, making inappropriate guesses as to the word or phrase. Pale blue eyes skimmed the text message, then Zach nodded decisively. "Everyone is on board for practice tomorrow. You can swing by the auditorium to meet the cast if you want."

Ami _was_ curious about his interpretation of Peter Beagle's work. "I'll do that," she said, making the boy's face light up. "I can bring you another Ramune."

"These things aren't half bad." He clinked his bottle against the one in Ami's hand, then regarded her quizzically. "You know, it almost seems like we're becoming friends."

She flashed her most disarming smile. "It does. You've hardly antagonized me this month."

"And you came with Mamoru to pick me up."

"So I did." Ami wasn't about to tell him that she simply had a few things to pick up at Uwajimaya. Better to say what would earn his trust.

A commercial interrupted Wheel of Fortune. Joe slapped his palm over Nicholas' mouth and shushed everyone else, staring intently at the TV while images of cars speeding along dirt roads, drifting around corners and catching air flashed by. When it was over he simply stared with his mouth agape. "They do rallycross here?"

Michiru nodded sagely. "The Cascade Rally is a stage of the North Fire Rally. I believe this is the second year it's been held here– it was previously in Namu, British Columbia. Drivers come from all around the Pacific to compete."

"That is so awesome!" Joe yelled. "Where is it? When is it?"

"The commercial was just on, dummy!" Makoto chided. "It's this weekend in Sultan."

He practically vibrated with excitement. "Why didn't anyone tell me about this last year? I love rallycross!"

"Calm down before you piss on something," Kaelan said, rolling his eyes. "It's just sanctioned speeding, big deal." This earned a glare from Joe and they began arguing.

Usagi gave the violinist an intrigued look. "How do you know about this, Michiru-chan?"

"I _do_ have other interests besides classical music," she answered. "I might be too dainty for motor sports, but I like watching them."

"How can you go wrong with hot guys in fast cars?" Mina added, earning giggles. "We should all go check out the races!"

Everyone but Ami, Zach and Mamoru agreed to spectate the upcoming rally. "Even though the quarter's almost over, I still have a lot of lab work to do," Mamoru explained.

"Same for me," Ami said, "and I have to study for finals."

"And _I_ don't have time to waste if I want this play to be ready by February. Half my cast will be going home for winter break."

Mina pouted. "You guys are totally lame, choosing to do _homework_ instead of getting your adrenaline flowing." She shook her head pityingly as Ami gently pushed her off the couch.

"I'm a southern boy, I don't belong in freezing cold mountains. I'm going to park my ass in front of the fireplace and laugh as you all spend the whole day getting frostbite." There was a slight pause before he faced Ami with a certain glimmer in his eye. "That reminds me, could you help with my English homework?"

"I can try. They say two heads are better than one."

Ami's agreement caused Zach to grin and Mina's jaw to drop. _'Since when are these two getting along?!' _Nicholas was also suspicious; he thought Zach must have something up his sleeve and made a mental reminder to ask Mamoru to keep an eye on them. An hour later, however, that notion was lost among a sake-induced haze.


	13. Talk in Grey

**Chapter Thirteen: Talk in Grey**

Although Ami had offered to bring Zach a Ramune during practice, she could not in good conscience deny everyone else refreshments. So she crammed as many bottles as possible into her bag before heading to the theater. She used a side entrance to avoid disrupting the actors and cautiously skirted the stage, sighting Zach in the front row. He wore a deep scowl, and it was easy to sense his frustration.

Ami sat down in the aisle seat in the second row, watching the freshman actor named Jackson deliver a monologue. Prince Lir questioned his manliness– he could face deadly creatures in single combat but he didn't have the courage to profess his feelings to Amalthea. Letters, poems and lyrics all failed him. He spoke aloud what he wished to tell Amalthea, then a light appeared above her at stage left. The carpenters had built a turret for this scene and the one after it. Before Lir lost his nerve, he ascended the steps and professed his love.

The boy had delivered his monologue well, but now he seemed detached from what he was saying, as if he were still reading off the script. Ami understood why Zach would take issue with this; it was neither sincere nor believable. "God dammit, Jackson!" he yelled, the acoustics amplifying his voice. "Lir was just there, so where the fuck did he go?" The freshman didn't answer, though Ami saw him tense up.

"I'm getting really tired of doing this over and over again," said the Amalthea actress. "Will you just bring out his understudy already?"

"No!" Jackson pleaded, "I can do it, I swear!"

"I really don't think you can," Zach returned with evident disdain. "We keep having to stop during these scenes. You're holding back the whole goddamn production!" As he rose to his feet his volume increased as well. "Do you get off on this kind of shit? Do you feel powerful knowing the entire show is at your mercy? You think you're too good to act alongside Aubrey? Are you _racist_ or something?!"

"Settle down, man," said one of the stagehands, but his words were drowned out as Jackson shouted back.

"I'm not! It's not because of her!"

"Then what the fuck is it?!" Zach bellowed.

A well-dressed girl appeared from backstage. "That's enough, le Blanc. You need to go outside and calm down. Everyone take a fifteen-minute break!" Whoever she was, she had authority. Zach obeyed by slamming open the nearest side door. Jackson was on his heels and Ami followed a moment later.

"I swear to god, Jackson…" she immediately heard, "if you don't get over whatever hang-ups you have _today_, you're out. I am so done with this."

"Wait, Zach, please…" Ami kept her distance, loitering behind a dumpster full of wood and construction materials as Jackson grabbed the blond boy's arm. Zach rounded on him with fury in his eyes, but the actor stood his ground. "I'm sorry, I really am. In those scenes, it just… It feels like I'm betraying you."

"I told you it was going to be this way. You have to treat this like a job. I'm your boss. I need Prince Lir to come to work, not you, and Lir has to prove to the world that he loves Amalthea." His tone softened. "I cast you because I knew you could make this character real, give him life outside the book and movie."

Ami's brow furrowed– that didn't sound like Zach at all. She peeked around the corner and saw that he and Jackson had their backs against the wall with their heads tilted to watch the clouds passing overhead.

Jackson gave a slight scoff. "I can't believe you called me racist in front of everyone. I bet Aubrey hates me now."

"She's mad because you're delaying the show, not because you refuse to—" Zach suddenly turned to embrace the young actor, murmuring his next words. "—be intimate."

Ami's breath hitched a millisecond before they kissed. Not an air kiss or a mere peck on the cheek, but a no-one-else-on-earth-at-this-moment type of kiss. After the initial shock her brain went into overdrive. _'Oh my goodness, Zach is gay. He just acts like a womanizer to hide it. It makes perfect sense!'_

She caught one last exchange while retreating for the door. "If we're going to make it to opening night, you have to forget about this. I'm only your director."

Jackson sighed airily. "I'll try, I promise. I'll just pretend Amalthea is you." They both laughed a little and Ami felt her face turn scarlet.

Then the door swung open and almost knocked her down. "Oh!" exclaimed Aubrey, the lead actress, "I'm sorry! Are those two out here?" Ami just ducked her head and scurried inside before the boys realized she had overheard everything. Still her mind was racing.

_'If Zach is gay, why did he hit on me for so long? Was it only the reaction he wanted, the attention? I didn't think he was that narcissistic. He really __is__ dramatic. Calling me beautiful, saying he likes smart girls, saying I'm his type… Why didn't he just tell me he was gay? Maybe he thought I would judge him. I suppose he doesn't trust me enough.'_

Should she tell him she knew the truth? He could finally stop flirting with her and be himself. She could get to know the real him… which might be nice, because it would be much easier to be friends when she wasn't constantly fending off his amorous advances. She glanced up as Zach returned, greeting her with a smile. "Hey, you made it. Please tell me you brought something to drink. I've been yelling so much my throat's getting raspy."

"One Ramune, as promised," she said, surrendering a lemon-flavored soda.

Zach heard the glass clinking and raised an eyebrow. "Just one?"

"I brought enough for everyone… at least I hope so. How many people are there?"

"Eight, I think. Did James leave?" he asked the crew, receiving nods. "Is it possible to get a keg of this stuff?" Ami gave an honest laugh and Zach flashed his smile-smirk, feeling more optimistic now that he'd dealt with Jackson. He had precious little time to whip the cast into shape and seriously would have dismissed the freshman from the project if their "talk" had not worked out. As such, Jackson's portrayal of Lir significantly improved; in his mind he was professing his love to Zach, and Zach was content to let him do so. Whatever it took for his show to achieve perfection.

As he left the auditorium with Ami at the end of the day, he noticed a jaunty spring in her step. "What are you so happy about?"

"I really can't wait to see the play. I don't think I'll come to any more practices, if that's okay. I want to see how well it progressed. Zach, I just have to tell you… I really love your interpretation!"

He was a bit stunned by how amicable she sounded. "Well thank you, Ami. I'm glad you think I'm doing Beagle's work justice."

"The movie is excellent, of course," she went on, "but there's just something so _real_ about bringing it to the stage. I mean, it _is_ real, obviously," she laughed at herself, "but it feels like the actors are the embodiment of the characters. Aubrey _is_ Amalthea. Lauren _is_ Molly Grue. David _is_ Schmendrick. And Jackson is the perfect Lir! I just love it so much!"

Zach walked in silence with a bemused expression on his face. What the hell had caused this change of heart? Where had Ami's reservation gone, that layer of ice? She was being so friendly, babbling away like they discussed such things all the time. She was _praising_ him, for god's sake! This was not the girl Zach had grown accustomed to, so he tested a question. "I'm famished. Do you want to get teriyaki or something?"

"That sounds great," she replied, and he repressed his shock. When they reached his car he held the door for her, earning a beatific smile, but then she didn't say a word while he drove to the tiny eatery. Only after they had ordered, sat down, and split their chopsticks did Ami regard him shyly. Zach chewed slowly, preparing for whatever she was about to say. "So, um, how long have you been with him?"

"With… who?"

"With Jackson." Although Zach had steeled himself, he definitely hadn't expected _that_ and coughed up a few grains of rice. He stared at the girl in confusion while she sat there wearing the kindest, most understanding expression ever. "I saw you kiss him," she explained. "I got to the theater as you were storming out, so I followed you. I didn't mean to see you. But does anyone know? I mean, are you out?"

Zach's face remained blank while his brain began overclocking. _'Oh my god, Ami thinks I'm gay. She thinks Jackson is my boyfriend. She has no idea…'_ She had no idea that he only did what needed to be done for his dream to be realized. _Eternal Heart_ had been a great source of anxiety, but now it was his magnum opus, and he couldn't very well let some actor send his hard work down the drain. Jackson was talented, true, but it quickly became apparent that his little crush hindered the entire production. So Zach did what was necessary to ensure his play would go off without a hitch.

So that was why Ami had done a complete one-eighty: she thought his attraction to her had all been an act, a façade to hide his true orientation. He would tell Ami that she shouldn't have made such an assumption… but not just yet. This was the best way he could really get to know her, to get past her barriers. Zach closed his eyes, sighed, and smiled sheepishly. "I've been with Jackson since his audition. And yes, our relationship needs to stay secret. People would accuse me of favoritism if they found out– there were a lot of guys who wanted Lir's role."

Much to his satisfaction Ami agreed not to mention it to anyone, not even Mina. As they ate and talked, Zach learned more about her in twenty minutes than he had in three months, and she didn't hesitate to say yes when he asked if she would come over on Friday to help with his English paper.

* * *

The metamorphosis happened surreptitiously. One day Mamoru came downstairs for breakfast in one of his usual boring outfits and the next none of his roommates recognized him. Kaelan lowered his newspaper and almost asked "who the hell is this guy?" before it dawned on him. Nicholas did a double-take while Mamoru held out his plate for some eggs and sausage, grinning in the linebacker's face. Joe didn't even notice, as it took a few cups of coffee for him to actually wake up. When Zach joined them after his shower, he gave Mamoru a once-over and said "nice jeans. Did Usagi pick them out?"

He nodded. "She helped me buy a whole new wardrobe."

"I bet that cost an arm and a leg," Nicholas commented. "She took you to Nordstrom, didn't she?"

Mamoru nodded again. "Among other places. I had no idea there were so many designer stores around here."

"That's cute," Zach snorted while pouring cereal. "Where did you think all those rich businesspeople and their families shopped? Sears?"

"Hey, I like Sears," Joe piped up. "That's where _working_ men get their clothes."

Zach ignored the jab. "True Religion looks good on you, Mamoru. Don't listen to what anyone else says– girls check out guys' asses all the time. Those horseshoes are like magnets. I bet you'll be hit on at least five times today."

Joe rolled his eyes. "Or maybe people will notice that he's no longer hiding beneath all those monochrome layers. They'll see that he feels confident about himself. That's more attractive than an expensive pair of jeans."

"The first time you meet someone you judge their appearance. No one's going to realize how confident Mamoru is until they get to know him, and they'll want to do that based on how he looks."

"It'll be because of the way he carries himself," Joe countered.

"The clothes make the man," Zach said.

"The _man_ makes the clothes."

"Will you two shut it?!" The kitchen fell silent as everyone turned toward Kaelan. "No one cares _what_ you wear and _why_ you wear it so long as you're not going around with your cock out." He went back to his newspaper while Nicholas chuckled lowly and resumed cooking. It seemed like they were all arguing over petty things lately.

Joe helped tidy up the kitchen after Mamoru and Zach left for school. He had bags under his eyes despite having downed three cups of coffee. "You don't look so good, bru," Nicholas remarked. "You sick or something?"

"No, just tired…" He unintentionally yawned then. "I've been staying up late to work on my research paper, but then I've been having these nightmares that won't let me sleep. Even though I only have a couple classes, my hours changed for the holidays so now I work from two to ten."

"That's rough," Nicholas said, giving him a pat on the back, "but at least you have a job. I still can't find anything."

Joe smiled sympathetically. "The only reason I got hired was because I know how to drive manuals. Keep an eye out for jobs like that, ones requiring skills you might not consider useful."

Nicholas considered the advice as he set out for a midmorning jog. He hated running, but it was the best way to fend off flab since he could no longer simply walk across campus to spend a few hours at the gym. He didn't have class on Tuesday and Kaelan was at a shareholder meeting for a startup company he'd invested in, leaving him alone at the mansion. He slowed as he approached a bus stop and snagged a schedule, finding a route to downtown Seattle. Then he texted Makoto. **"Hey, you don't have class today, right?"**

**"Right, but I'm experimenting with syrups since no one's here to complain about the smell of burnt sugar."**

**"Do you wanna go on a run to the Ballard locks?"**

**"It's supposed to rain today."**

Nicholas wasn't sure if that was a dismissive statement or not. **"I'll bring one of Zach's jackets for you to wear."**

**"Thanks for offering to steal stuff for me, but I have my own coat. Do you want to meet somewhere?"**

**"I'm headed your way now. Be there soon."**

Although Nicholas had never been to the girls' apartment, he knew it was close to Pike Place and stepped off the bus there, making his way down to the waterfront and finding Makoto standing out front of the complex. She wore a wrap hoodie and ombre leggings, and Nicholas thought she looked positively gorgeous even though she wasn't even trying. "So what brought on this idea?" she asked.

"I thought it would be fun to go on an adventure with you," he replied with a grin. "I haven't been to the locks yet, and I remembered that you didn't have classes on Tuesday or Thursday."

"I do have work at three, though. It's ten miles to the locks and back." She raised an eyebrow. "Can you handle that distance?"

"Of course. I work out all the time."

Makoto smirked. "Lifting weights doesn't give you endurance. I hope you can keep up with me." She set off at a brisk pace, but Nicholas' long strides kept him at her side. The trail was almost abandoned except for the odd roller blader or cyclist who rushed by. While skirting the train yard Makoto took a swig from her water bottle, something Nicholas had neglected to bring because he was only supposed to go on a two-mile run.

"Care to share?" he asked hopefully.

"I don't want your germs," the girl said. He honestly couldn't tell if she was joking or not; she was very good at ambiguity. This time Makoto just sighed and surrendered the bottle. After another mile Nicholas started to feel the burn in his calves, but by then they were close enough to the locks to see a few boats lined up. Opposite the canal was a botanical garden and visitor center, but it wasn't very picturesque at this time of year.

Makoto refilled her water at a fountain, then she and Nicholas stood on the bridge watching boats come and go. She could hear Usagi's voice in her head telling her that this was an excellent opportunity to get personal, but she couldn't think of a conversation starter. Nicholas did it for her by making a casual comment. "This is neat. I wish my parents could see it."

"How are they?" she asked.

He sighed deeply. "I'm not sure, really. Every time I call they end up bothering _me_ with questions. 'How are classes?' 'How's the chow?' 'Do you like your housemates?' 'Do you have an American girlfriend yet?' They _always_ ask if I'm going with someone."

"I'm sure they don't want you to feel lonely or anything. You're a long way from home, after all."

"It's not quite that– they really wanna become grandparents." Makoto raised an eyebrow. "They tried having another kid after me but it never happened. _They're_ the lonely ones. I felt guilty for coming here even though they insisted on it. I'd feel better if I had a little brother or sister to watch over them." He gazed out across the marina. "I've always been with a girl. My rents would wait a few weeks, then my mom would go 'so, is there a baby on the way?' And I'd say 'no Ma, she's not preggers.' And my dad would wink and say 'yet', like he _expected_ me to knock her up."

Makoto just had to laugh. Nicholas' parents seemed like quirky people– his mother was a bartender at a popular nightclub and his father was a hotel chef. All his culinary knowledge came from them but Nicholas had deliberately channeled his energy into sports, because what teenager wanted to be exactly like their parents? She asked how he went from playing diski and scrum to studying civil engineering.

"I'm good at math and science," Nicholas explained. "Geometry and physics were my best subjects in school– I nearly flunked everything else. Most teachers gave up on me since I was such an underachiever, but not Mr. Mitcham, my physics teacher. He convinced me to apply for scholarships even though I knew I'd never get into university. My rents just couldn't afford it. But Mr. Mitcham wrote me a letter of recommendation, and I explained why I wanted to earn a degree in engineering, and I qualified for a bunch of scholarships in America. I chose UW because it seemed cool."

Makoto nodded idly. She was numb to the subject of family by now, but a stupid thought wriggled into her mind and didn't leave: what would his parents think of her? Would they still want their son to give them grandchildren if she was his girlfriend? Their kid would be severely mixed-raced –African, English, Japanese and Dutch– but it would probably be beautiful because Nicholas was really nice to look at…

_'Ugh, no. I can't like him. I __don't__ like him! But he's so nice, and funny, and generous and smart and sexy… Dammit! Why did he have to come here? Why did he have to be at the horticulture fair? Why couldn't he have helped some other girl carry __her__ plants?!' _She had slowly backed away from the railing and hidden behind a tree, resting her head against the bark while staring at the sky for answers.

"Makoto?" Nicholas asked, glancing around. "Where'd you go?"

"Over here." As soon as she turned, her foot wedged itself beneath an exposed root and sent her to the ground with a single inhalation of surprise. _'Oh crap…'_ she thought while bracing herself for impact with the dirt.

But Makoto landed on an arm instead. A strong, muscular arm attached to the rest of Nicholas. "That was close. You okay?"

"I think so. My foot just…" She dislodged it and instantly felt a sharp pain travel up her leg, informing her that she had mostly likely twisted her ankle. The boy saw her wince and carefully exposed the top of her foot, seeing the area already beginning to swell.

"Guess who's not walking back?"

Makoto groaned. "Whittle me a crutch or something, but please don't carry me. I'm not a baby."

Nicholas scoffed a little. Before she could protest the boy flexed and gathered her up, and she clung to his neck at the sudden height difference. "I know you're not a baby, but I'm not going to let you hurt yourself even more."

"Fine…" she grumbled. This was turning out to be one stupid day. If she hadn't answered his text message, she wouldn't be in this position right now. Stupid Nicholas. Stupid Ballard locks. Stupid tree. Makoto felt a drop of water on her forehead. "That better not be _rain!_" she pleaded. "Could this day get any worse?!"

"It's not that bad. I'm still having fun." Nicholas moved his fingers near her underarm and she released a shriek of laughter before attempting to fling herself from his arms.

"You asshole! Put me down right now!"

"Sorry," he chuckled, "I didn't know you were so ticklish. I won't do it again, promise."

Makoto fumed internally for a moment, then sighed in resignation. Upon arriving at the bus stop near the entrance to the garden, they learned it only ran during the summer. The girl said nothing while Nicholas gently lowered her, then withdrew his phone to ask Kaelan for a ride. The Maserati arrived and quickly brought Makoto home; she didn't protest as Nicholas carried her up the stairs. She hobbled into the bathroom for a gauze wrap, which the boy promptly plucked from her grasp. "I can handle my own wounds. You've done enough for me already." She didn't mean to sound scathing, but he looked guilty nonetheless.

"Please, let me. I know this is all my fault. I should have done my typical route and gone home, not roped you into an excursion." Makoto stayed silent as he removed her shoes and socks. He secured the end of the wrap and tested her foot for flexibility; it had to be tight, but not immovable. Satisfied, Nicholas watched while she stood up and limped around the living room. "Are you still going to work?"

She nodded. "Yeah. I can't afford not to."

"I see." He took in his posh surroundings. The only thing that made this apartment so expensive was the view, otherwise Makoto could afford to rest. He didn't want her to take the bus; she could trip on the steps or someone's luggage, but if he voiced these concerns she'd think he was babying her. She wasn't weak, not by any means, but Makoto just didn't know when to ask for help. Nicholas wished she knew she could depend on him.

* * *

Zach had been right– several people Mamoru didn't even know hit on him throughout the day. The first was a girl from his lab. The second was a girl training to become an RN. At lunch a boy channeling his inner K-pop star came up to Mamoru's table with a few friends in tow and made a rather bold proclamation. With his face aflame Mamoru explained that he wasn't gay, hoping not to offend. The boys only shrugged and left. At the end of the day a senior girl approached him in the parking garage and asked about his car, leaving him with a business card for a European performance shop and her number.

_'Was it really because of the way I looked?'_ Mamoru wondered during the drive home. No, it had to have been his countenance and body language. People could dress exuberantly and still be introverted; they weren't calling attention to themselves, they just wore what they found comfortable. Mamoru felt assured in his own skin and now the world could see it as well.

He greeted Nicholas and Kaelan before heading up to his room and was struck by its starkness for the first time. _'Usagi would hate it,'_ was his immediate thought. His old apartment in Radford Court had been just as sparse, completely lacking personality. Mamoru suddenly detested his monochromatic surroundings. He dropped his bag by the door and pulled the bedding off his mattress with a ferocity he hadn't known he possessed. He emptied his nightstand, a steel box with wheels, and pushed it into the hall. After clearing the bookshelf, he banished it from his room as well. Now it _really_ looked empty. He didn't have any posters or art on the walls, no silly knick-knacks or personal treasures, nothing that indicated Chiba Mamoru lived here. It was like he didn't exist.

"Hey," said a voice that startled him. Kaelan stood at the threshold. "If I ask you something, will you tell me the truth?" Mamoru blinked away his anger and nodded. "Are you changing for yourself or for Usagi?"

"What do you mean?"

The older boy crossed his arms. "I mean what I say– are you making all these changes because _you_ want them to happen or because you think it's what Usagi wants?"

Mamoru was struck with a slight sinking feeling. "I… I don't know." What _had_ compelled Usagi to talk to him at Amabie? Did she view him as a pet project, a doll to play dress-up with? Had she seen him and thought, _"Look at this poor soul, he has no fashion sense at all! But I can fix that if I become his friend."_ And he'd let her do it because she was pretty and flirtatious, and he was a pathetic loser who only wanted someone to make him feel like he mattered. "Do you think she's just using me?" he uttered.

"Do you feel used?" Kaelan returned.

He wasn't sure about that. Generally people who manipulated others did it to crush their spirit, but Mamoru's had been bolstered… so maybe Usagi really did just want him to come out of his shell. He shook his head. "No, I don't. I think she wanted me to better myself… I wouldn't have moved here if she hadn't given me the confidence."

Kaelan nodded in acceptance. "Then maybe I was wrong about her. I just don't want to watch you get hurt. You guys are like my brothers, you know? I care about you." He smiled, a little embarrassed, before slapping Mamoru on the arm and leaving, then the blue-eyed boy refocused on his room.

_'This isn't me,'_ he thought. _'I hate it.'_


	14. These Silent Hearts

**Chapter Fourteen: These Silent Hearts**

"Well, it's a good thing we dressed warmly." Joe turned his head every-which-way so as not to run over any of the people trudging up the snowy road. "I didn't think this many Americans were into rally."

"They're not, to be fair," Michiru said from the passenger seat. "Most of these people are the drivers' team members and hardcore fans."

Joe felt like such a novice compared to Michiru. She'd given their fellow passengers, Makoto and Nicholas, a brief overview of the event, teaching him a few things in the process. The Cascade Run was the antepenultimate stage in the North Fire Rally, which consisted of eleven courses in various countries. The regional competition was only open to residents of Washington, Idaho, Oregon and California as means to appeal to more American drivers. The international competition was much more cutthroat, as drivers could earn sponsorships from many auto-related companies if they were skilled enough. The fiercest rivalry, Michiru said, existed between Subaru and Mitsubishi, and the drivers representing them occupied first and second place overall.

They came upon various pockets of tents and trailers as they continued up the mountain to the main site. There was no parking to be found, so Joe drove Frankie onto a snow pile and his passengers hopped out. He directed Rei, who had also driven, onto another mound her Acura couldn't have handled without tire chains. They loaded up on hot beverages and food before perusing all the vendor and team booths, a source of much geeking-out. "I thought you said this was nothing to get excited about," Mina teased, nudging the Irishman. "You said it was just sanctioned speeding."

"Yeah, well…" He rubbed the back of his neck and avoided her gaze. "I appreciate well-built machines. My car wasn't made for this kind of thing."

"And what car would that be?" asked a voice no one recognized. It belonged to a tall, thin man in a driver's jumpsuit. His eyes were hidden behind a pair of sleek sunglasses and his hair was pale blond with blue streaks. He sat down on the hood of the Mitsubishi Evolution they'd been admiring, tilting his head inquiringly.

Kaelan audibly gulped. "I have… a… Maserati GranTurismo MC."

The racer nodded his approval. "That's a nice ride. You should take it to a track someday." He smiled a little, then lifted his glasses to stare at them. "Hello, Michiru."

Everyone gasped and looked to the violinist as she visibly tensed. "Haruka. I see you're doing well."

"Haruka?" Usagi repeated in disbelief. "You mean he's a _girl?_"

"Indeed," Michiru said. Haruka smirked and stood, the group instinctively parting for her. Close-up she was just as androgynous Zach, and not even her tone of voice belied her gender.

Haruka was almost as tall as Joe, who stood at seventy-four inches. Her smile turned frosty as she looked down on Michiru with a hint of contempt in her hazel eyes. "What are you doing here?"

"My friends wanted to watch the rally."

"But not you." She said it scathingly.

"I wasn't expecting to see you in person."

Haruka glared and leaned forward so their noses were almost touching. "I wasn't expecting to see you _ever again_." She began to say more, but someone called her name through a megaphone and she left with a scoff.

Nicholas waited a few seconds before asking "what was that about?" since their exchange had been in Japanese.

Mamoru made the connection. "High-end cars… _She_ taught you to drive." Michiru gave a tiny nod. "You knew her in high school."

She sighed deeply. "Haruka was a track and field star at Mugen Academy. It came naturally given her build, and she broke a lot of records. We became friends in music class because she also played piano, but after school she'd head to a garage to work on cars. She loved driving more than anything. During our second year she was approached by a company who wanted to sponsor her. She said I should support her if I loved her, but I couldn't bear the thought of losing her in a wreck. I said 'if you truly love _me_, you won't do it. It's too dangerous.' I asked her to pick me over her dream…" Michiru trailed off, looking at the ground.

"So she chose racing," Makoto finished.

A tiny nod. "I understood why… It was so selfish of me to give her an ultimatum. Haruka dropped out of high school and became the skilled driver you just met. She earned a lot of popularity by winning three Junior World Rally Championships in a row, and she's moving up to the main event next year. Many people want her to win North Fire– she's in second place right now."

"And you know all this because you've been following her career," Joe deduced. Michiru simply nodded again. "We don't have to stay if you don't want to."

"No, I want to see if she can beat _him_." She cast her amber eyes in the direction of Team Subaru. "He's won this rally for four years straight, but he's reckless. I don't think he'll be able to get away with it on this course."

They returned to their vehicles and proceeded upward to a scenic pull-off. They could see about half the course, which began as a straightaway before turning into a gradual incline with numerous switchbacks. The cars disappeared at the top of the mountain, followed the logging road down through the forest, then crossed a shallow flooded section of the Skykomish River. Although that segment was out of sight, they heard cheering mixed with exhaust rumbles and engine roars before the cars came hurtling by.

It only took about fifteen minutes for a driver in the amateur division to lose control after drifting around the corner. He slid off the road and his rear bumper was ripped off by a tree, sending chunks of fiberglass everywhere. "Eina!" Nicholas exclaimed, "That was brutal!" Michiru gave him a look that said he hadn't seen anything yet. A few more drivers lost fenders and front bumpers to the trees near the road, but then came a little Volkswagen that overcorrected and ended up rolling twice before coming to a stop on its roof.

Joe hopped the guardrail and ran down to help. Kaelan, Nicholas and Makoto followed, and together they managed to flip the car over. The driver was perfectly fine and his vehicle even started again. He gave them a thumbs-up before speeding off to the finish line as if the crash hadn't happened.

Rei regarded the green-eyed boy with admiration. "How can he just keep going after wrecking like that?"

"Old cars have a lot more structural integrity than new ones. With some steel reinforcements, you can roll and be okay… as long as you didn't have too much momentum."

"Now I understand what Michiru was worried about," she muttered. Joe put an arm around her shoulder and squeezed reassuringly. They were unlikely to witness any horrific accidents today, especially not with the professional heats beginning. The person in last place got to go first, doing three laps and contributing the best time toward his overall score. There were only a few female drivers, Haruka included, but many teams had female navigators. More people migrated to their viewpoint, team members on standby or fans who came from all over the Pacific: Malaysia, the Philippines, China, Russia, Canada, Mexico, and as far as Santiago, Chile, host of the final stage. Even though it was called the "North Fire Rally", the southern hemisphere was properly included.

Via portable TVs they were able to see the action on the opposite side of the mountain, thus they witnessed the driver in fifth place leave the road as he whipped around the corner at the summit. There was a moment of collective stillness followed by exclamations as the car began sliding down the hillside. Luckily he didn't roll, and his descent was halted by a stately tree about fifty feet down. _"What a harrowing experience for driver Justin Rivera! He's not used to this kind of terrain!"_ the announcer said. _"It's going to be tricky getting the winch down there to pull him back up."_

"They should use your truck," said a fellow Russian, a man from Magadan.

"If I'd known about the rally beforehand, I would have signed up as a volunteer," Joe answered. Although she had no idea what they were discussing, Rei listened to their conversation. It was such a useful skill, being a polyglot– Joe could have easily become a translator, or perhaps even an ambassador, yet he chose to make a difference by using nature as his weapon, not words.

As the contestants in fourth and third completed their laps, the crowd grew increasingly excited, breaking into a loud cheer when the video feed showed Haruka putting on her helmet and settling into the driver's seat. The Evolution had a white and light blue color scheme and was peppered with sponsor stickers, including a red triple diamond graphic to let the world know which manufacturer she represented. "What's that symbol on her helmet mean?" Nicholas inquired.

"It's the kanji for 'sky'," Michiru answered. "Her family name, Tenou, means 'sky king'."

That sounded pretty auspicious to him. He wanted to ask what the other girls' names meant, but everyone was focused on Haruka's driving ability. She sped up the mountain, making it look easy as she drifted each corner without losing momentum. "How's she doing so well when everyone else had issues?"

Joe turned to reply. "Each driver gets a couple practice runs. They usually go slow to look for problematic areas of the course such as hard turns, dips, abrupt shoulders and things like that while the navigator makes notes and speed recommendations." He pointed at the nearest TV streaming the race footage. "The faster you go during practice, the faster you can go during the actual time attack. See, she's doing ninety-seven kilometers through that curvy section when everyone else went eighty or less."

A great cheer arose when Haruka splashed through the river and another greeted her on the straightaway as she entered fifth gear and stomped on the throttle, the Evo sending up enough powdery snow to dust the spectators. "She just did that lap in a little over five minutes!" someone shouted, soliciting a fresh round of applause.

Upon crossing the river a second time, Haruka's lips curved into a confident smile. She was going to surpass Lim Ye-Jun and Team Subaru; there was no way he could beat her now. On the home stretch she caught sight of spectators on the viewpoint throwing their arms up, shouting her name, yelling for her to "go, go, GO!"

Haruka didn't know how quickly she finished her second lap, she just knew that the third one was going to be her best. "Let her fly," said her navigator, a man several years her senior. She grinned after crossing the river for the final time and quickly brought the speedometer up to 130 kph, then 137, and was almost going 145 kph when the unexpected happened.

Most of the spectators were looking off to the right toward Haruka. The Evo's roar almost drowned out the loud crack that emanated from the treeline… but Usagi heard it. The moonstone on her chest sent a sudden chill through her body, a prick that amplified her senses for a brief second– only it didn't seem so brief because time literally slowed. Directly across the road she saw splinters fly from a tall cedar tree. After another second it began leaning, and she realized in horror that it was going to land directly across the road, right in the car's path.

There was nothing she could do about it. There was nothing _anyone_ could do about it except Haruka.

She pressed the clutch and brake pedals to the floorboard, shifted into neutral and wrenched the steering wheel to one side, sending her vehicle side-first into the tree. Its thick limbs acted as a ramp that carried the Evo up and over the trunk, the car easily snapping branches with its momentum. It rolled once in the air and crashed down violently, one tire flying off as the front end crumpled, the engine smoking.

Nobody moved. They were in shock of what they just witnessed: a freak accident that had to have claimed the lives of Tenou Haruka and her navigator Sasaki Katsuro. The wail of a siren drew near, prompting most of the spectators into action– they raced down to the car, find Katsuro conscious. He tried getting the seatbelt off Haruka while her team members tugged on the door. It was her side that had hit the branches, shattering the windows in the process. The roof was severely dented, almost touching her helmet, and the lower half of the door had compressed inward, cutting into her leg just above the knee.

Mina clung to Kaelan as Usagi and Makoto clung to Mamoru, all five of them statues. Rei snapped out of her stupor to notice that Haruka's indigo aura hadn't gone out, though it had almost turned completely black– she was alive but unconscious, which was probably for the best since there was a piece of metal in her leg.

Michiru couldn't bring herself to hop the guardrail. She held it in a death grip, her knuckles as white as the snow beneath her feet. Haruka's name barely escaped her lips as a breath.

* * *

"So basically the _Divine Comedy_ is a self-insert story. Dante gets to hang out in heaven with his favorite poet and ideal woman while all his flamers are trapped in purgatory or hell."

"It's simply his thoughts on religion of the time," Ami said with a sigh.

Zach scoffed. "It's way less profound than that. Dante probably pissed off someone in the church and then wrote this to tell everyone how awesome he is, cause even God forgives him in the end. He probably couldn't handle the critique."

"I suppose you could make a case for him lusting over Beatrice. She was a real person, you know." Zach nodded vigorously, making notes out of their discussion. "Perhaps he felt he would be condemned for his covetousness unless someone thought his soul was worth saving."

"See? Dante was totally trying to talk himself up. He just wrote all that allegorical crap to convince them how devoted he was with all his philosophizing."

"It's your paper, so you can argue whatever you want. You just have to be able to support it." A pause. "Is 'philosophizing' even proper English?"

"Yes, it's the verb form." After saving his notes file and closing his laptop, Zach spun in his chair to face Ami. "Now that the work's done, I think it's time for play." His suggestive eyebrow-waggle solicited a laugh, then they headed downstairs to the kitchen. It was two in the afternoon and neither had eaten, so Zach took it upon himself to make lunch.

"What are we having?" Ami asked. She claimed one of the bar stools and folded her hands politely.

"Muffulettas!" the boy exclaimed, pulling exotic-looking ingredients from the fridge. "These are a true New Orleans original." He pronounced it as one word, "norlins", which made Ami giggle. "This sandwich began as separate ingredients that got piled together on Italian bread. We have Genoa salami, capicola ham, mozzarella, olive salad and herbed mayo."

Ami had never heard of most of those things, so she was a little apprehensive of how the sandwich would taste. After setting it before her, Zach smiled expectantly. _'It would be rude not to sample his culture…'_ Ami thought, taking a dainty bite. Her face lit up as the savory ingredients danced across her tongue, and Zach nodded his satisfaction before digging into his own sandwich.

After lunch they went swimming at the girl's behest. "I think you're the only one who really uses this thing," Zach said while retracting the pool cover. "If you need to change afterward I _suppose_ I can loan you something of mine again."

Ami smiled. "That's okay, I came prepared this time." Beneath her jeans and baggy sweater was a white swim suit. Zach wolf-whistled, making her blush.

"God, you look so…" He bit his lip to prevent himself from calling her sexy. Ami wore an Herve Leger bandage monokini, and it wasn't her fault that he had a thing for straps in strategic places. "You look like a model," he said instead.

Ami waved off the compliment. "I do not. I'm too petite."

"But you're so… svelt."

She tossed a grin over her shoulder. "That's what swimming for seven years will do to you!" She then dove gracefully into the deep end.

_'You don't want to know what __I'd__ do to you…'_ The boy smacked himself on the cheek and spun around to face the wall. _'Jesus Zacharie, you sound like a dirty old man. Get a grip before you ruin this little charade.'_

To quell his wildly inappropriate imagination, Zach fetched his sketchbook and drew up more costume concepts for _Eternal Heart_. For a while he remained focused on Amalthea's dress, then he realized his croquis had grown to resemble Ami. "Shiiit…" he groaned, dropping his pencil and book on either side of the chaise lounge he sat in.

"What's wrong?" Ami inquired. Zach popped up to find her resting on the edge of the pool. With her hair swept back, water droplets clinging to her skin, and eyes wide with curiosity, he thought she looked like a mermaid.

"Ooh, don't move!" He snatched up his materials and began sketching before Ami even furrowed her brow. "Don't frown," he said, "give me that questioning look again, like you've never seen a human before. Study me. Philosophize."

She snorted. "Are you _drawing_ me?" He simply nodded, so she sighed and rested her chin on her forearms, her head listing to one side. Several minutes went by before she asked, "Do I get to see my likeness?"

"No," Zach answered non-antagonistically, "this is reference material. This is the expression I want Amalthea to have when she gets turned into a human, when she realizes she has hands instead of hooves."

"Anything for the show, I suppose." Ami only had to wait another few minutes for Zach to close his sketchbook triumphantly. He then stood, stretched, and put his hands on his hips as she pushed off the wall and drifted to the center of the pool. "Are you coming in?"

"That's probably not a good idea," he answered, chuckling at her confused expression. "You should dry off so we can watch a movie. I found this sixties French film called _La Mariée Était en Noir_. I think you'll like it."

"Well, you do have somewhat good taste." His ego visibly inflated. Ami pulled herself from the water, grabbed a towel and made her way to the guest bathroom, Zach following with her dry clothes in hand. She turned on the shower and pawed through a basket of travel-sized soaps and conditioners, casting a glance at the boy who leaned in the doorway. Ami would have been suspicious had she not known Zach to be interested in people opposite her gender. "Umm…"

He blinked in surprise. "Oh, sorry. I'm going…" He started to, but stopped and turned back. "Do you want to watch the movie in the den or my room?"

"Your bed is little more comfy than the couch," Ami answered.

Zach let slip a sly grin at that. "I'm glad you think so."

* * *

Kaelan paused with his hand on the door to look back at the procession of his ashen-faced friends. He could hardly blame them; having a front-row view of someone's life potentially being snuffed out by a freak accident was justifiably traumatic. Usagi, Mamoru and Michiru had gone to the hospital to look after Haruka, so it was just the six of them remaining. He was flattered that the girls thought of his home as a safe haven and didn't object when they asked to spend the rest of the day there. "We're back!" he called out as they shed coats and boots, but didn't receive an answer.

Joe, Nicholas, Rei and Makoto went into the kitchen for tea while Kaelan and Mina headed upstairs. The boy paused at the landing, staring at the closed door to Zach's bedroom as Mina grabbed his arm. "Did I just hear what I think I heard?" she asked.

"If it was your best friend's laugh coming from my depraved tenant's lair, then yes." Wide-eyed, she gave him a single nod. Kaelan then barged right into the room

He first noticed that they lay beside one another on the bed, a four-post canopy with sheer curtains. Kaelan's bed was similar in style, but his was carved from solid wood and had velvet fabric. Zach shot an irritated expression over his shoulder. "Can I help you?"

"What are you getting up to in here?" Kaelan demanded.

He held a hand out toward his TV. "Watching a movie, obviously." His gaze flicked to Mina as she came to stand beside the older boy, then his annoyed visage transformed into a semi-lurid one. "Ami and I have been having loads of fun together."

She too faced them, smiling. "He made lunch for us, then I went swimming while he sketched, and we've been watching foreign films for the past couple hours."

"Why didn't you watch them downstairs?" Mina asked in Japanese.

Ami shrugged. "It's cozier in here." Her head tilted owlishly. "Why do you sound so worried?"

"Um, hello!" Mina gesticulated, "You're alone with _Zach_, on his _bed_ no less! Last time I checked, you hated him for constantly trying to get in your pants!"

Ami laughed off her concern. "That was before I—" She stopped abruptly. "He's not going to try anything with me, Mina-chan."

Dumbfounded, the blonde simply turned around and went down the hall to Kaelan's room. He appeared behind her to unlock the door, then she flopped onto his bed in a daze. "Was I just hallucinating the past three months? Have they always been getting along and I never noticed it before?"

"No, something is certainly up between them," the boy said while shedding layers of clothes.

"Yeah, Zach's _penis_, which until now Ami never wanted in her vicinity!" She threw an arm over her face and sighed in exasperation. "Seeing all those accidents at the rally combined with Haruka's crash topped off by this development with Zach is almost too much for me!" A few hangers clanked together, then footsteps rounded the bed and came to a stop before her. Mina smiled a little as her socks were pulled off. She next felt her jeans being unbuttoned, and she grinned when lips alighted on the skin below her navel. "Are you trying to distract me from everything?"

"Yeah. Is it working?" Kaelan kissed a little lower.

"Not yet."

"Then I think you need to join me in the shower."

His accent made a very convincing argument. It was probably the thing Mina found most attractive about him other than his body; anything he whispered sounded sexy, especially when they were both awake at three in the morning and the world outside was still, when whispering seemed mandatory. But now, with her back against the tiled wall and her legs around his waist, she didn't refrain from letting Kaelan know how effective his distraction technique was.

After drying off they migrated to the bed, but this time there was no water to whisk the sweat away. "Should've waited to shower," Kaelan mumbled. He lay on his back, eyes closed, basking in the afterglow of making senseless love with Mina. She hummed in agreement, her eyelids drooping more and more until they stayed shut. He was a little disappointed that she fell asleep so quickly because he wanted to have a conversation about _this_.

Zach called them fuck buddies but Kaelan didn't think it so simple. He'd been hooking up with Mina for two months now but they only ever did it in his room, so there was some sense of intimacy. Sometimes they just stayed in bed talking, but he still didn't know that much about her personally. Having come from a small town with a close-knit community, he wondered how it was possible to be so close to someone who was practically a stranger.

He honestly hadn't expected things to turn into _this_. When he first saw her in the coffee shop he thought she was just another pretty girl. But once he got a good look at her, he realized her appearance was very unconventional. How difficult had it been for Mina to grow up in a society whose standard of beauty was dark eyes, dark hair and pale skin? After sitting down across from her and actually _seeing_ her, he was hit with a wave of intuition so strong he just had to speak it… which happened to be her name, which he had never heard before. He just inexplicably _knew_ it.

And then they'd gotten seriously drunk at the Halloween party. Kaelan still didn't know exactly what had enticed Mina to sleep with him. He made that arrogant statement about having her in bed again and she'd said "no thank you". But it had, ironically, become a recurring thing.

Kaelan flinched a little when fingertips landed on his bare back. "It's cold…" Mina said, her voice laden with sleep. Wordlessly he extricated himself from the warm blankets to light a fire in the hearth, and upon returning sat against the headboard. "How come you look so good naked?"

"Genetics, I suppose," he answered.

Although Mina laughed she took note of his flat tone of voice. He was situated on the edge of the bed, far away from her, so she too sat up. "Tell me what's wrong," she said gently.

"I don't think we should do this anymore." There was no hesitation whatsoever.

Mina was temporarily taken aback. "Do… what?"

"This." Kaelan moved his hands around to indicate the whole room. "Me and you fucking. It's stupid."

She raised an eyebrow. "You didn't think it was stupid an hour ago."

"Well I do now that I've thought about it." She scoffed and he scowled at her, receiving the same look in return.

"Are you seeing someone else?"

Now Kaelan was affronted. "Why would you think that?"

"What else am I supposed to think when you suddenly say you don't want to see me again?" Mina stole the comforter as she leaned over the opposite side of the bed to hunt down her clothes, exposing his nether region.

"Ack, Mina…" Kaelan reached for her shoulder but she shrugged off his hand. "I haven't _cheated_ on you, so will you hear me out for a second?"

"I can listen while getting dressed," she tersely replied, tossing the blanket over his head before fastening her bra.

"All I meant was that we should take a break from the sex and get to know one another. Go on a few proper dates and the like."

The girl gave him a very withering look. "What would be the point of that, Kaelan? The only reason guys do that pseudo-romantic routine is so they can get laid." He gaped uselessly. "I get it, okay? You get tired of the same girl after a while. Men cheat because they're bored and want something new and exciting. It's understandable, and that's all you had to say."

"That's not at all what I'm saying!" He floundered for a grasp on the situation, but by the time he found it Mina was already leaving the room.

She paused at the threshold. "For the record, I'm not going to cry over you. You didn't mean anything to me, either."

Kaelan's jaw dropped as she left him in very profound silence. He'd been dumped before, but this wasn't quite the same. He felt abandoned. Just like that, Mina had walked out of his life. _'What the bloody hell happened?'_ He looked to the left. The pillow she slept on was still warm. _'What did I just do?'_


	15. Shadow of You

**Chapter Fifteen: Shadow of You**

"Mm… Michiru?"

"Sorry, it's only me."

Haruka slowly brought her surroundings into focus. She was in a hospital room. Her body was weighed down with bricks and her eyes seemed to glide in their sockets. Smiling, she looked to the right and saw who had spoken. "Katsu."

"There's a lot of morphine in your system right now," the man said kindly. "Don't try moving too fast."

Haruka laughed; it came out as an uncharacteristic giggle. "I bet the car's ruined, huh?" Katsuro nodded. "Are you okay?"

"I suffered some bruises. But you…" His dark eyes fell to her leg and she found a thigh-length cast enveloping it.

"There goes the season," she sighed, "and probably next season too, huh?"

Katsuro steepled his fingers. "That's up for debate. Your surgeon thinks you'll recover quickly with the right physical therapy, but the doctors don't want you to take any chances. Luckily you got hurt in a city with many medical options."

"So they don't want me to fly home?" The man nodded again and Haruka shrugged. "It's not like I had anyone to go back to." She sighed, staring up at the ceiling. "How's the crew?"

"Worried about you, of course. They wanted to leave flowers but the doctor didn't want them cluttering up the room."

"Flowers just wilt and die, anyway." Haruka looked at her navigator again. "I'm sorry, Katsu. If we'd been further away from the tree, neither of us would have gotten hurt."

He raised an eyebrow. "So you're taking the blame for Mother Nature?"

"Umm… yes?"

"Your quick thinking saved both of us, Haruka." Katsuro placed his hand atop her own. "If you hadn't turned us sideways, we would have crashed head-on and definitely wouldn't have survived."

Haruka hummed thoughtfully. "I bet the footage looked really awesome, huh? Even better since we were both able to walk away." She cackled as Katsuro shook his head at her drug-induced sense of humor.

"Get some rest, you crazy kid." Haruka waved as he left, and he glanced over his shoulder with a profound smile on his face. Katsuro had a wife and three children, so he was grateful to live to see them again.

After a few minutes, questions began filling her mind. What if the tree had fallen _on_ them? What if she'd had plenty of time to stop? (The obvious answer was that she wouldn't be lying in a hospital bed right now.) What if she yanked the wheel to the right instead of the left, and Katsuro's side had gotten impacted?

It was too quiet in this hospital. Even the beeps and whirrs of the machines seemed muted, and there was no thrum from the rain outside. Haruka wondered if she'd sustained some kind of trauma to her eardrum; the morphine shouldn't have made things sound so muffled. She heard booted footsteps and turned from the window to see a familiar face. "Michiru. So it wasn't a dream."

The brunette gave a tiny smile. "I'm so glad you're alive."

Haruka couldn't quite bear her expression and faced the window instead. "You can go ahead and say 'I told you so'."

"I would never." She sat down in Katsuro's chair, knotting her fingers. "I _will_ say I'm sorry, though." Haruka raised an unseen eyebrow. "If I had supported you, you probably wouldn't have ended up here."

"Everything was going fine until today," the blonde stated. "This cast wasn't part of my plan."

"Your plan was to become a certified mechanic, if I recall correctly." Memories threatened to leak out of her eyes but Michiru held them back. She made fists to prevent herself from smothering Haruka with apologies. _'How would things have unfolded if I hadn't been so selfish?'_

"That's right. I probably still will once I win a WRC trophy. It was supposed to be next year, but now… who knows?" Haruka looked at her cast and sighed, letting the silence stretch on for a minute. "I know you want me to quit. How can I even think about getting back in the driver's seat after a horrible accident like that?" Michiru said nothing. "The fact is, I barely remember it. It was such an out-of-body experience, I'm not even sure it really happened. But I guess there's no other explanation for how I ended up here, huh?" She met the sepia gaze with a grin. "You know, it's pretty embarrassing that after four years we end up having this conversation while I'm hung up in the hospital."

Michiru smiled a little. "I've watched each of your races since the day we…" It wasn't in her nature to make puns. "Since you entered the junior championship."

"Is that so?" Haruka nearly snorted. "Then you know this wasn't my first wreck."

"I know, but it was the first one I saw in person…" A single tear escaped, rolling down her cheek. "I was so scared I couldn't move. While everyone else ran to your car, I just stood there wondering if you were dead. I was so ashamed of myself for letting things end the way they did that I just couldn't go to you. What would be the point in asking forgiveness from a corpse?"

Haruka sighed. "You wouldn't have needed to do that. Your concern was valid. I suppose I left school because, at the time, I didn't want to admit that I was choosing a dangerous path. I was too arrogant to realize there was a possibility I could suffer a life-altering injury… or die. Back then I felt invincible." She held out a hand to Michiru, who dabbed at her eyes with her sleeve. "I was too selfish to realize that the people worrying about me were the ones who really matter."

Michiru blinked the rest of her tears away before placing her hand in Haruka's. She felt sixteen again, when they had first said "I love you". But the fact was they were both different people now, so they couldn't simply pick up where they had left off. Their lives wouldn't mesh at all; Michiru had her music and Haruka had her racing career, which would only be on hold for a little while. She'd be driving again by spring.

"You know," the blonde spoke, "someone mentioned there was a violin virtuoso in Seattle performing with the symphony orchestra in December. Would that happen to be you?"

Michiru smiled at that familiar impish tone. "We're presenting 'The Spirit of Yule' at Benaroya Hall. It's a series of Scandinavian compositions."

"I promise to be there even if I have to drive myself… in a wheelchair." They both laughed and conversed until a nurse came in, commenting on the glimmer in Haruka's eye. It was that kind of spark, she said, that helped people heal quicker.

* * *

Usagi and Mamoru sat in a waiting room with a fish tank at their backs. Katsuro had informed them that Haruka was awake, and they knew Michiru was taking the opportunity to get everything off her chest. "I'm glad she's okay," Usagi quietly remarked. "I'm glad we can tell everyone that Haruka's alive."

Mamoru nodded in agreement, then gave her a sideways glance. "Doesn't it seem like terrible things keep happening around us?"

She almost asked why he'd say such a thing, but then she realized his point. First the apartment, then the shooter at UW, and now Haruka's wreck. She thought back to the instant before the crash, when she saw the tree splinter. What could have caused it to crack like that? It hadn't been windy, and she didn't think a gun would be powerful enough to shoot through such a large tree. And it obviously hadn't been cut down with a chainsaw. Maybe Katsuro or someone from the race team knew how it had fallen. "Stay here for when Michiru gets back," Usagi said to Mamoru, and headed off down the hall.

She thought Katsuro might be in the cafeteria and was almost there when she rounded a corner and literally ran into a familiar face. "Nia!" she exclaimed as hands reached out to steady her. "What are you doing here?"

"I was looking for you, actually." The much taller girl smiled ruefully. "I need to speak with you." She glanced up and down the hall before leading Usagi into an alcove. "What happened to Haruka Tenou was no accident."

"Mamo-chan thought as much," the blonde said. "Is someone out to get her, to get _all_ of us? Is that why you were at our apartment and the UW campus?"

"I was trying to protect you." Nia slumped against the wall and Usagi noticed bags beneath her eyes. "I lured Michiru out of your apartment before they could get to her. I reached Ami and Minako in time to save them from that golem. But I was too late to prevent them from harming Haruka."

Usagi frowned a little. "Who are 'they'?"

Nia considered telling her, but nothing would yet make sense. She sighed and straightened. "You'll find out once all the guardians are awakened. How many pendants do you have left?"

"Four… You mean the planetary guardians?"

"Yes." She closed her eyes. "One of them belongs to Haruka. Two more can be found in Laurelhurst. When you awaken them, the last should reveal herself… I hope." Usagi stared blankly as Nia clapped her on the shoulder. "Just try to locate the pair of guardians in Laurelhurst. Once you do, I'll speak to you again."

Before she could say she didn't even know where Laurelhurst was, Nia stepped out of the alcove and walked briskly down the hallway, vanishing into the crowd. Usagi returned to Mamoru, who rose to his feet. "Did you find Katsuro?" he inquired.

"No…" She almost told him she'd found Nia instead, but kept that bit to herself.

They went to collect Michiru. She was putting on her coat as they entered the room, her former lover asleep. Usagi placed the amethyst necklace into Haruka's hand and closed her fingers over it, then covered it with the blanket. Hopefully none of the nurses would adjust the bedding.

"Rei is on her way," Mamoru said while they headed for the elevators. "She just dropped Ami and Mina off at their dorm."

"They didn't want to stay for dinner? Mako-chan texted me that she and Nicholas are making spaghetti."

The boy shrugged. "I guess not. You can't please everyone."

* * *

Kaelan pulled into the visitor parking lot at UW, receiving intrigued glances as he exited his vehicle. There were convenient signs all over campus so it was relatively simple to locate Hansee Hall. He knocked on the door of room 225 in Leary wing. He smiled when Ami greeted him, and she looked flustered at the fact that he'd caught her in lounge attire and not one of her usual polished outfits. "Have I come at a bad time?" the boy inquired.

"No, I just… umm… It's just me here, you know. Mina is in class."

"I know. I wanted to talk to you."

Ami hesitated before stepping aside to let him in. He didn't know what he was supposed to expect so he was neither under nor overwhelmed by the girls' abode. It seemed rather spacious– there was a full-size bed against each wall and a wide window between them. Each girl had a desk, chair, and storage space, and they appeared to share a closet. The décor was an odd mixture of modern minimalism and color à la Lisa Frank.

"I made a mistake," Kaelan said. "I'm afraid Mina hates me now."

Ami had guessed that much; her friend came downstairs and immediately asked to be taken home. Everyone asked what was wrong but she didn't say anything. With Ami, though, she didn't need to. She could read people, especially Mina, as easily as she read and analyzed books. "I can't help you win her back, if that's what you were hoping."

He shook his head. "I just want to understand why she reacted the way she did."

"What exactly did you say?"

"I said it was foolish for us to keep hooking up." It felt impious to curse in front of Ami. "She didn't let me explain that I wanted to slow things down a bit and develop a proper relationship."

The girl nodded sagely. "Well, your problem is the way you worded it. All Mina heard was 'this is pointless'. She acted first and ended things before being rejected."

"Only a bloody idiot would reject her," Kaelan declared.

Ami patted the foot of her bed and he sat down as she leaned against the headboard. "Believe it or not, Mina was _often_ turned down by the boys at our high school. It was because she had a reputation that most people didn't want to associate with. You have to understand that in Japan there are many stereotypes where the way you look equals a specific personality. Mina's appearance says she has rejected traditional Japanese values and wants to be sexually appealing to Americans and that she has no honor or self-respect, so she is instantly perceived as promiscuous.

"People were constantly asking me why I was friends with a slut like her." The word made Ami cringe. "From what I gathered, most girls –and boys, for that matter– were intimidated by the fact that she embraces her sexuality, but that's just who she is. People hated her confidence, or maybe they were jealous of it. They couldn't understand why someone like _me_ would willingly associate with her."

The boy tried to imagine it: pixie-like Ami, who dressed modestly and always had a book of literary significance on her person, walking beside exuberant Mina, who always appeared to be in a state of post-coital bliss. "They do say opposites attract," he laughed. "I'm curious as to what it was that made you befriend her."

Ami gave a slight shrug. "At the end of the first trimester I found out that she was failing two classes, so I offered to tutor her. To be an athlete you have to have good scores, and although none of the other girls would admit it, we needed her on the swim team." She withdrew a little, then. "I never believed what people said about her. I approached her because I honestly wanted to help… but I always wondered if Mina thought I did it at the team's behest, or if someone sent me to learn her weakness."

Kaelan's expression softened. "She would have said something if she didn't trust you."

"I'm not so sure…" She looked down at the pillow on her lap. "She… _changed_ after an incident in our second year. Mina had a crush on our school idol, Hikaru. He was an all-star basketball player, his test scores were amazing, he came from a very respectable family and was an aspiring actor. He was on the student council, he tutored primary school children, he was in the Drama Club… Everyone wanted to be associated with him. When Mina finally gathered the courage to ask him out, I went with her for moral support. He smiled at her, greeted her by her first name, and Mina professed her feelings right in front of everyone."

Kaelan leaned in a little. "What happened? He turned her down, obviously—"

"He was so _horrid_ about it!" Ami cried, then sniffled and regained most of her composure. "Hikaru gave Mina his undivided attention. At first he seemed intrigued by the thought of going out with her, but once she finished he sighed, shook his head, closed his eyes… and when he looked at her again, I saw nothing but pity in them. He regarded my best friend like she was the most pathetic person on the planet, like she was so _juvenile_ for having feelings for him!

"And then he said, 'I would never go out with someone as vapid and shallow as you. Don't you know what everyone says about you? Mizuno-san, however… _She's_ the kind of girl I'd want to be seen with.' Then Hikaru gave me this amicable smile as if he hadn't just deeply insulted Mina in front of me, and she looked at me like I had betrayed her. The worst thing was… I couldn't think of anything to say. I just stood there in shock. I didn't defend Mina at all."

Ami straightened with a sigh. "After that, Mina started dumbing herself down. I ended up having to study with her for _all_ her classes… I couldn't help but think she was purposely trying to fail. She quit the swim team and joined volleyball. Whenever there was a game I heard boys talking about how great it was that they got to see Mina in her hot shorts. So I think… I think after Hikaru rejected her, Mina thought the only thing anybody cared about was her body… because she didn't have my intelligence."

Kaelan sighed deeply at the story, now realizing how awful his words had sounded to Mina's ears. "I have to apologize to her and clear the air. I have to tell her I don't only care about her tits." Ami tilted her head and he grew somber. "Even though I met her at the coffee shop, I didn't actually talk to Mina until the Halloween party. I swam over to her, asked why she was staring at the ceiling. She answered, 'you know what's cool about the stars? We're made up of the same material.' I told her that didn't make any sense, then she smiled and explained…"

_"__It makes perfect sense. Our universe was created by a big bang, right? It was an explosion containing all the atoms and molecules that formed everything– our planet, our solar system, and whatever lies beyond. Where do you think all those atoms came from? It was probably a black hole. Eventually it would get full, don't you think? All it does is suck in matter… it has to go somewhere. What if the big bang was a black hole that reached its limit, exploded, and all those atoms from that old universe are now in our universe? Statistically there must be molecules in us that once formed suns or planets. So, we're all made of star-stuff."_

"I miss the old Mina," Ami whispered.

"That's the only Mina I know," Kaelan softly replied. "I _need_ to talk to her. Where is she?"

Upon meeting his gaze she felt something ugly stir in her heart. She knew it was jealousy. Why would Mina act like her real self around some stupid boy instead of her best friend? "I'm sorry Kaelan, but if she really wanted to be with you, she wouldn't have left. Chasing after her is a waste of time."

His expression only fell a little, as if he'd been prepared for that answer. Kaelan sighed in resignation and stood up to leave. "I appreciate you taking time away from studying to speak with me." The girl frowned at his business-like tone. He paused with his fingers around the door handle to look back over his shoulder. "Ami, please don't let Zach trick you into something you're not ready for."

Ami glared at the door even after Kaelan had gone through it. People really needed to stop telling her what to think, especially since she did it better than them.

* * *

While leaving biology class Mina was stopped by one of her acquaintances, a girl named Julie who worked in the sports clinic. "Hey!" the redhead called, "We're having a girl's night out at this club downtown. Do you want to come with us?"

"Yes," Mina instantly answered. This was the perfect opportunity to focus on something other than her last exchange with Kaelan. She was told to meet up with the group outside the football stadium (a good number of cheerleaders were going) by six o'clock. It was 4:30 now, so she had plenty of time to get ready.

"I'm going dancing tonight," Mina announced as she entered the room. Ami looked up from her laptop. "Is there a chance you want to come with?"

She smiled ruefully. "I really need to perfect this final paper."

"Okay," the blonde shrugged. She opened the closet and stood back to appraise its contents.

"But…" She turned to Ami, whose voice had gone soft. "Thanks for always inviting me, even though you know it's not my thing."

Mina half-smiled. "You're my bestie. Maybe one day you'll surprise me and say yes."

"Maybe I will," she replied. She returned to her essay while Mina rifled through their wardrobe, discovering an aqua sweater dress hidden in the back. It still had the tags on, so Mina asked where it came from. "Express, maybe? Or The Limited? I think Usagi picked it out. You could wear it with those white boots you can never find a use for." For someone who claimed not to be artistically inclined, Ami sure had a good eye for color. Mina struck a pose once she was dressed and her friend smiled approvingly. "Have fun and be safe." She was used to hearing that, but then Ami added: "Let me know how the selection of hot boys is."

"Of course! I'll call you if anything happens. Bye!" She made the long walk across campus and arrived to find only five girls, Julie among them. "Is this everyone?"

"_Yes_," the redhead huffed. "A bunch of those bitches bailed on us!"

"Nice alliteration," a girl named Aruna commented.

"Thank you. But seriously, thanks for coming, Mina. I hate it when people don't follow through with plans. It's like, thanks for wasting my time, fucker!"

The only cheerleader who had actually showed up placed her hands on Julie's shoulders and steered her toward the parking lot. "We need to get a move-on so you can dance out this aggression!"

"Be aggressive, B-E aggressive!" someone else chanted as they piled into Shannon the Cheerleader's SUV. She pursed her lips.

"B-E-A-GG, R-E-SS-I-V-E!" After the giggling died down Mina was introduced to Sophie and Vera. The former worked on the sports section of UW's newspaper and the latter was dating one of the football players. When Vera inquired if Shannon knew Nicholas, Sophie jumped into the conversation.

"Are you talking about Nicholas Meyer? I'd love to write his player profile. So far I've only managed to snap his photo a couple times– he's so elusive."

"I can ask Matt to tell him the paper wants to interview him. Nicholas is really nice and friendly, so I'm sure he'll go for it."

"I bet he's great in bed," Julie said, soliciting stares. "What?"

"_Someone's_ ovulating," Shannon remarked. "Is that why you wore those stripper heels?"

"You know it!" She brought one of her feet onto the center console, earning a swat from the driver. "Hopefully these babies will take me home with a hot guy from the club, preferably to an apartment he has all to himself."

Vera rolled her eyes. "I definitely don't miss being single."

"You have your own mountain of football-playing man meat, so leave those who want to fantasize about Nicholas alone!"

"I think you're the only one," she returned.

"No she's not," Shannon and Sophie chorused. Aruna said that skinny nerds were her type. Then they looked at Mina, who hadn't chimed in since she was too busy staring out the window.

She held up her hands defensively. "Oh, no… I mean _no_, I don't think of Nicholas like that. He was one of my first friends here!" She received some "awws" and "yeah rights", and then Shannon parked outside the club where a big banner hung above the entrance. "Julie, you didn't tell me this was a grand opening!"

"Oh yeah, it's brand-new," she grinned. "This place is cool 'cause it's only open for people ages sixteen to twenty!"

"So it's a _youth_ club?" Sophie asked disdainfully.

"No, it's a dance club for young adults."

"So they don't even sell _alcohol?_" Julie shook her head and Sophie groaned in dismay.

The group of six walked to the back of the line, which was rather long but moved quickly, ushering people out of the cold. Mina felt a surge of excitement once they got in. So what if there were boys a couple years younger than them? At least there wouldn't be any pervy older men slipping strange substances into their drinks.

They lingered in the lounge, taking everything in. The bar at one side served finger foods and mocktails while the bistro opposite dispensed heartier dishes. The silver walls were angular like the faces of a great polyhedron, perhaps to help with acoustics, and ropes of LEDs snaked around the booths, slowly cycling through every color of the rainbow. Speakers hidden within the furniture filled the huge room with ambient music.

The club was four stories tall with the top two floors reserved for offices, the VIP lounge, and a guest DJ stage. The main floor and basement featured amateur in-house DJs, but they weren't half bad, as Mina discovered when she and Julie ventured downstairs. The energy in the room was phenomenal, likely due to the happy hardcore and drum 'n bass tracks that commanded the crowd to bounce around.

During a break in the set, Mina and Julie found Sophie in the lounge with two large gourmet pizzas on her table. "Eat, drink and be merry," she said with a grin. They devoured several slices and emptied an entire pitcher of lemon water.

"So…" Julie said, reclining, "where'd you learn to do that funky line dance? Is that a thing in Japan?"

Mina blinked in confusion. "Oh, you mean para-para? It's part of the Eurobeat music scene. There are some pop groups who choreograph specific routines for their songs, but it's starting to die out."

Julie grinned. "It looks like it'd be good for aerobicize. Can you show me some moves?"

Sophie wasn't the only one watching. Several people had turned around in their chairs to see the routine unfold, and a few even asked to join the lesson. Mina led with a smile on her face; this was almost like being at a para-para club back home, except the one she used to attend had been destroyed in the Tomoe Laboratories explosion. Perhaps she could start a dance club at UW.

Shannon and Vera finally showed up, the former sporting an autograph from the special guest DJ on her shirt. "This is the best day ever!" she exclaimed in a squeaky voice. "Thanks so much for inviting us, Julie." The other girls echoed her, then they finished off the pizzas while watching the TV nearest their booth. It was tuned to a local news station and nobody paid much attention to the broadcast until Vera released a loud gasp.

"Guys, look! They're about to do a live segment from here!" She pointed at the screen and they all fell silent. The station was indeed about to go live to Club Trillium's grand opening and conduct an interview one of its owners, Kaelan Burke. Mina nearly choked on her drink.

Aruna patted her back. "Who's that? Do you know him?"

"Yes," she croaked. "Nicholas and his old roommate Zach live with him, plus two grad students I know."

Julie indicated a camera crew setting up along the far wall where Kaelan chatted with a female reporter. Mina experienced a slight flutter as she gazed at him. He wore black slacks, a dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and a burgundy tie. She always thought those jewel tones looked good on him. "Wow, he is _fine_," the redhead remarked. "You really know him?"

Mina swallowed nervously. "Not really… I mean, I know who he is, but he's just my friends' landlord."

"I don't think he's 'just' anything," Shannon said, licking her lips.

Sophie rolled her eyes and scoffed. "Come on, guys. Don't you read the _Times_? Burke is an angel investor. He's been sticking his hand into lots of projects around the city." She left the booth and made her way toward the news crew, merging with the small audience. She looked back and motioned for everyone to join her.

Julie clung to Mina's arm, wobbling a little as they entered Kaelan's proximity. "Oh, he's so handsome! He's way better than Christian Grey!" Mina wrinkled her nose at the comparison, then another member of the crew shushed the audience and gave the reporter a countdown.

"On the outside, Club Trillium looks like just another hotspot for people who love music and dancing. But once you step inside, it's clear there is something very different about this venue. We're here with Kaelan Burke, co-owner of Seattle's only youth-oriented nightclub, to celebrate its grand opening." She turned to him; Mina noticed how at ease he looked in front of the camera. "As I understand it, Kaelan, you've been making quite a name for yourself as a patron of the arts. What made you want to invest in a project like this?"

The people gathered around collectively leaned forward to hear his answer.

"I'm sure there are a lot of parents wondering what a place like this has to do with art," Kaelan began. Julie almost swooned upon hearing his voice. "But I thought it was obvious that music and dance were forms of art. Trillium is only a club in aesthetic. Really, it's a safe place for young adults to express themselves in a healthy, creative manner." He paused to take a breath, gesticulating a little more. "As art programs continue to be cut from school budgets, it becomes increasingly difficult for kids in high school and their early college years to feel like they have something that's really for them, someplace to escape when they feel overwhelmed and… need a break from studying." He said that last bit while pulling a sheepish face. "I don't mean kids should slack off and spend all their time here!"

Everyone laughed. It was hard not to when he was so charming. Kaelan just had a presence about him, an almost regal air that made people listen when he spoke. His platinum hair and grey eyes also contributed to the fact that people saw him as a sagely leader. They were drawn to the wisdom he might possess, and given the fact that hundreds of eyes were now upon him, he seemed to be dispensing it properly.

"Excuse me for saying this, Kaelan, but you're practically a kid yourself! At least compared to all of us at the station." The crew chuckled a little. "I think it's safe to say that any other twenty-three year-old who inherited a fortune like yours would not be spending it as selflessly."

"For the record, I'll be twenty-four next month," he grinned, then brushed his facial hair in that manner Mina found rather adorable. "I think the question you're getting at is why I invest in projects like this, and the simple answer is it's because people deserve a helping hand in achieving their dreams. Who's to say that a young person won't walk through these doors and be totally inspired by the music they hear? Who's to say they won't go home, buy some secondhand equipment and start creating their own music? Who's to say they won't then be the genius behind the score of this decade's greatest film? That could happen because someone found inspiration here, in this building, and it's just the idea…"

Kaelan paused to clear his throat, getting caught on his words. "The idea that someone could be inspired by something that wouldn't have existed if I hadn't given it a chance is worth much more than the number in my bank account. It's worth more than all the money in the world."

Utter silence greeted his final statement. The reporter didn't even move until Kaelan angled his head downward and nervously rubbed the back of his neck. "Wow…" she breathed while facing the camera. "I don't think I'm alone when I say I can't wait to see what other changes you'll bring to Seattle. Thanks so much for your time, Mr. Burke."

A smile played at the corner of his lips as he nodded. "It was my pleasure. Goodnight." He stepped out of frame so the reporter could make a few more closing comments, and he hadn't taken five steps before his audience began to descend upon him, praising him as if he were a god. Security guards moved quickly to form a human shield, but Kaelan brushed by Mina just before they made it impossible to reach him.

"You are so full of it," she hissed into his ear.


	16. Memories from the Future

**Chapter Sixteen: Memories from the Future**

Mina's voice haunted Kaelan. He hadn't gotten the chance to talk to her due to the zeal with which his security guards performed their duty, escorting him to his office on the top floor of the club. He had severely underestimated his public presence, but he seemed to be the only one. After his interview the answering machine became full of messages asking if he would be interested on appearing on such-and-such program and if he could please let them know his schedule. Local charities weren't outright asking for money, but they would really appreciate it if he would consider donating what with Christmas being two weeks away.

There were other requests as well– would he be interested in a reality TV show? Had he ever considered acting? Did he want to sign to such-and-such modeling agency? Would he consider endorsing some product? He already had a financial advisor and now debated hiring a personal assistant to act as a buffer between him and the media. Kaelan couldn't care less about becoming famous, which seemed to be happening despite his aversion to publicity.

"Forbes called today," Joe informed him during group breakfast. Finals were over and everyone was on winter break. "They want you on their 30 Under 30 list."

Kaelan only sighed and continued eating his toast in silence.

"That's not as cool as Glamour naming him one of this year's hottest eligible bachelors," Zach said.

Joe scoffed. "Forbes is way more reputable than Glamour."

"Well you know what _I_ heard?" Nicholas cut in. "He's in the running for Person of the Year."

Now Kaelan did look up. Appearing in _TIME_, on the cover no less, was a Big Fucking Deal. "Where did you hear that?"

"From someone at school," he answered proudly. Nicholas never had interesting news to share, so he basked in the feeling of importance. "This girl from the Daily told me. She has a relative who works at Time."

Mamoru nodded slowly, awestruck. "You should probably set up a meeting with them."

"It sounds like a rumor," Kaelan returned. "If it's true I'll wait for them to contact me." This meant he actually had to listen to all future messages received, an extremely off-putting notion.

* * *

Mamoru drove slowly along the waterfront. He couldn't remember where Usagi told him to pick her up, but it was one of the piers currently crawling with tourists. Was she at the arcade? The Great Wheel? The Curiosity Shoppe? Ivars? No, she was getting a smoothie from a coffee stand. Mamoru lightly tapped the horn, earning more than a few irked looks. The blonde spun around, grinned, and got into the passenger seat before he held up too much traffic. "You'll want to go left up here to avoid the construction."

Mamoru obeyed, guiding his Mercedes up the steep hill that led away from the ferry terminal. Laurelhurst was, in fact, the neighborhood directly east of the U District, which was the only reason why her driver knew where it was. Usagi wasn't quite sure what to do once she got there, though. It sounded like Nia wanted her to trust her instincts, but they hadn't always led her down the right path. She automatically reached into her pocket to brush the compact. That calming sensation came over her, washing her muddled thoughts away. A moment later she withdrew it and stared into the lid's silvery lining.

Usagi frowned at her reflection. Her eyes appeared brown instead of blue and her hair, though wavy, was long and dark. She shook her head a little and looked again, but the reflection showed wizened features and… violet eyes? Usagi _had_ to be seeing things. She shook her head harder, and almost hit the dash when Mamoru suddenly slammed on the breaks as someone cut them off. She frowned in consternation while the boy muttered something derogatory about the offending driver.

There was a park in the middle of the neighborhood, and it was here they left the car and began wandering aimlessly. "Nia didn't give you any other indication of who these people might be?" Mamoru inquired. Not that he was in a rush to find them; he liked spending time with Usagi.

"No, but they must be rich if they live here. Look at these houses!"

"I'd rather have a yard," Mamoru remarked, jamming his hands into his coat pockets. The clouds had been teasing them lately by releasing tiny flakes that never stuck around long. But morning frost coated everything, and small bodies of water were frozen over. _'It needs to snow if it's going to be this cold,'_ he thought while following the girl. Her pace quickened and he lengthened his stride to keep up. "Usako?"

She didn't answer, heading up a narrow street. Most of the homes featured beautiful seasonal landscaping, and there were even people outside working to maintain it despite the chill. Not wanting to be rude, Mamoru said hello as Usagi rushed by. Eventually she halted before an ornate brick house covered in ivy. "I think this is it," she said cautiously. "I… sense someone."

"Shall we go up and knock?" Mamoru ascended the tiered steps to the porch, missing the apprehension in her tone.

"Wait, Mamo-chan!"

But it was too late. The door opened mere seconds before his knuckles fell upon it.

"I was wondering when you two would show up," said the girl at the threshold. Mamoru gaped in amazement, partly because she was extremely beautiful. She had high cheekbones, plump lips, and a long, narrow nose and chin. Her almond-shaped eyes were very dark brown in color and her long black hair fell in loose waves. She smiled amicably and stepped aside. "Please come in."

Mamoru turned around, gesticulating for Usagi to hurry up. She climbed the stairs and clung to his arm as they entered the foyer of the stately home. Inside it was all earth tones and natural fabrics, and there was a cloying yet not unpleasant mask of incense. "This way, please," the girl said, leading them into a large sitting room.

Usagi gasped upon getting a closer look at her. "I saw you in my compact during the drive here! At least, I _think_ it was you…"

"Is that so?" She indicated for them to sit down on a couch with embroidered and tufted cushions. Beneath their feet was an authentic Persian rug and on the walls were colorful, detailed tapestries.

After taking a long look around Mamoru met the girl's gaze. "Did you say you knew we would come here?"

She nodded. "Last month I started having vivid dreams featuring a young couple who looked a lot like you… in spirit, at least. Forgive me if I'm wrong, but are you both Japanese?"

"Yes" they answered in unison, and the girl's countenance brightened. She switched from English to their native tongue.

"When I told my mother about these recurring dreams, she said it could mean that I was destined to meet the couple in the present. But I'm usually not very receptive to strangers." She leaned forward a little. "A few weeks ago I felt I would meet someone new. You know that feeling you get when you're about to meet up with an old friend? You're excited because you haven't seen them in forever, but nervous because you don't know how they've changed?"

Usagi and Mamoru shared a glance. They had both frequently experienced that sensation since the beginning of the school year. "Who are you, exactly?" the boy then inquired.

"Oh, please forgive my manners! I have two names, actually, but they mean the same thing. My mother named me Hinghoy. She died when I was ten, then I went to live with my father in Tokyo. I'm…" The smile fell off her face and she averted her eyes to the carpet. "Tomoe. Tomoe Hotaru."

Usagi unintentionally gulped. "As in Tomoe Laboratories?"

"Yes," she answered meekly.

An uncomfortable silence grew as Mamoru fell back against the couch, his eyes wide, and Usagi gritted her teeth. The question she bit back was, _'What in god's name was your father doing that caused three wards to be destroyed?'_ Instead she asked, "What happened?"

The old wound made Hotaru sigh. "There's a very simple explanation… and that's what's so terrible about the whole thing." She paused, biting her lower lip. "Do you know what white phosphorus is?"

"It's… not good." Mamoru scolded himself for speaking when his brain was processing a million other things.

But Hotaru didn't laugh at him. "My father was experimenting with it for military applications. The public doesn't know that… no one but the Japanese government is supposed to. An official made me sign a non-disclosure agreement before I moved here, which I guess I just violated." She smiled wryly. "White phosphorus is highly unstable– it can combust when exposed to oxygen. One of my father's researchers improperly sealed a sample, which ignited, which then spread to a tank of hydrogen. That's what caused the initial explosion. Of course, there are a lot of things that can react very violently in a chemistry lab."

"Do they know who left the sample open?" Mamoru asked.

"Yes. It was a woman my father had recently hired. Her name was Kaori and according to what employee gossip I overheard, she had a _thing_ for my father. So maybe she was making eyes at him and forgot to seal the phosphorus." Hotaru angrily shook her head. "It's disgusting to think about. She should have been doing the job she was hired for, not trying to hook up with her boss. So many people are _dead_ because of her!"

Silence greeted her outburst, and then Usagi began to cry as that statement echoed in her mind.

It happened on a Sunday, when she was home from school and playing video games. Her dad's favorite TV show was interrupted by the emergency broadcast signal, and a news anchor told them that the neighborhoods surrounding Chuo ward had to evacuate. Then came the sirens, and people left their houses to stand in the street, watching as a pillar of flame-tinged smoke rose into the air. Ikuko hurriedly told her daughter what to pack. Twenty minutes later their most valuable possessions were in their car and Kenji drove to a marina in Ota. They left the radio on while staring at the blaze across the harbor.

Mamoru softly cleared his throat. "Tomoe-san, could you please explain how you knew we would meet today?"

She shrugged. "Like I said, I had a dream about you two. I'm sort of… precognitive." Usagi looked up at that, quizzical. "Sometimes I catch glimpses of the future, but most of the time it's… allegorical, almost. I have no idea what's going to happen until after the event occurred and I can piece it together."

"Then how are you certain we're the people from your dream?"

"Because you have the exact same auras."

They shared another look. "What does that mean?"

"It probably means that I saw your past incarnations. I got the sense that the dream's setting took place thousands of years ago– there was architecture unlike anything I'd ever seen and the continents were closer together. I was looking at the planet through a window, I guess, or a portal."

Usagi's heart began pounding as she recalled the dream in which she had stepped through a portal onto Earth. Mamoru too had been having regular dreams of an ancient terrene landscape he assumed was Earth… and if that was the case, then none of this was coincidence. They were destined to meet Hotaru, and Nia was the one who had guided them. But what was the _reason_ for it all?

"I understand this is probably a little weird," Hotaru then spoke, "but the fact you're still here means you aren't freaked out that a total stranger has been dreaming about you."

Mamoru nodded. "I think we were both hoping for answers of some kind. It seems like with each step we take they become further out of reach."

They heard the front door open, and Hotaru grinned. "Maybe my mom can answer some of them."

Shanta Mirakhur had a day job as a psychiatrist, but she described her real life's work as chakra healing. She was Kashmiri Hindi which explained her naturally violet eyes, and her black hair was in a braid that reached her lower back. Only twenty-six years of age, she had adopted Hotaru after hearing about the laboratory incident from one of her academic colleagues who worked for Dr. Tomoe. She had a soft yet powerful voice, the kind that made everyone in a room hush up to hear what she had to say.

It was obvious to Shanta that Usagi and Mamoru were soul mates, but that didn't necessarily facilitate a romantic relationship. Soul mates could be platonic too, as the universe guided people together so they could overcome life's obstacles and achieve enlightenment by sharing knowledge. She then spoke about the seven chakras and their influence on one's aura, and how Usagi and Mamoru's current life must parallel their past life quite closely if Hotaru was able to identify them after several thousand years.

Once their conversation was finished, Usagi withdrew her pendants. She gave the sapphire to Hotaru and the black opal to Shanta. "Very fitting for her," the latter remarked. "Indigo is the color of Ajna, the third eye. This will help her focus her visions."

Hotaru rolled the eyes on her face. "Just say 'thank you', Mom." She stood up and bowed to the pair, and Shanta followed suit but held her palms together at her chest. "It was a pleasure to meet you both. I'm sure we'll see you again soon."

"It was very nice to meet you as well," Usagi replied. "Thank you for inviting us into your home." With that they left, but neither spoke until they had returned to the car. "There's only one necklace left. Nia said the last guardian would once I found all the others."

"That still doesn't make sense," Mamoru returned. "There are only nine planets but you had eleven pendants. I can't understand what they're really for." He sighed in frustration. "I guess we'd better ask Kaelan for some astronomical advice. Maybe he knows something we've been ignorant of."

* * *

"There are only nine planets, but certain moons were considered planets in ancient times due to their brightness, which meant they had to be fairly large. There are some idiots who believe in a tenth planet called Nibiru. They think it'll crash into Earth without warning and believe NASA withholds information about it from the public to keep us in the dark." Kaelan snickered at the notion.

"Why is that funny?" Usagi asked. She sat in one of the chairs in his office, and he sat with his feet up on the expensive mahogany desk.

Kaelan waved flippantly. "Because if the plonkers knew anything about physics they would realize it's impossible for an object of planetary mass to affect Earth without causing a gravitational disturbance elsewhere in the solar system. The theory surrounding Nibiru is completely stupid." He laced his fingers behind his head and donned an amused smirk. "Have you ever heard the saying 'one man's idea makes him crazy, ten men make it a cult, and a thousand men make it an organized religion'? Believing in Nibiru is like that." He laughed heartily before returning to the answering machine, jotting down occasional notes but deleting most of the requests for his presence.

Mamoru had been pacing behind Usagi, but someone suddenly bumped into him and threw off his circuit. It was Nia, and she was bleeding from the mouth, nose and eyes. Usagi jumped up from her seat with a yelp and Kaelan stood so abruptly his chair careened into the wall. Since Nia was taller than Mamoru she dragged him down a little, but with four extra hands he managed to lay her down on the plush carpet and instantly went into medical diagnostic mode. "What happened?!" the blonde cried.

Nia's voice was raspy. "Those bastards– they found her before she could get to you. I don't know how, but they have the Eye." She turned onto her side and retched, coughing up blood. Mamoru grabbed his friends firmly by their arms and pulled them away.

"We have to help her!" Usagi shouted, fighting his grasp.

"You can't, Usako. I'm fairly certain those are symptoms of ebola." She stared at him wide-eyed, shocked that he was willing to do nothing but pull out his phone.

"Wait, Mamoru, don't…" Nia coughed again and somehow gathered the strength to shift onto her hands and knees. "It _is_ ebola, but I'm immune."

"The rest of us aren't," he coldly returned. "You're going to kill us if you stay here!"

She shook her head and her words were punctuated with ragged breaths. "No I won't. This isn't a natural strain… it's not contagious. It's poison designed just for me. Usagi, take this…" She reached into her coat pocket, wobbling on three limbs, and pushed a shimmering object across the rug before collapsing. It only lay a few inches from her fingers. Usagi moved to claim it but Mamoru grabbed her arm again.

"Usako, you can't!"

"I have to! She came all the way here in her condition to give me that thing!"

"You _can't_ go near her!" Mamoru shouted, the first time he'd ever raised his voice to her. "Ebola is one of the most deadly diseases on the planet! Just look at what it's doing to her!" Nia certainly presented a gruesome example of the effects. "I should have realized it right away, before her blood got on us. We _need_ to get to a hospital and this whole place needs to be quarantined!"

Kaelan sniffed disdainfully. "What makes you think I want the CDC poking around here?"

"This isn't the time for telling the authorities to screw off!"

"Excuse me? This is _my_ fucking house!"

Usagi took advantage of their bickering to pick up the compact. It looked the same as hers aside from the lid being lined with gold, not silver, and instead of a moonstone there was a large diamond in the center. It refracted the light of the room, winking like a multicolored eye. After closing it she noticed blackish blood on the lid. Nia had obviously risked her life to get this compact. She had risked her life to save Michiru. She'd risked it saving Ami and Mina.

And for what? Why did she keep putting herself in harm's way for a bunch of strangers? Nia believed they were guardians, but how could Usagi and her friends defend the planets? The answers had to lie in this third compact… they _had_ to. Elsewise she would drive herself crazy by only being able to speculate.

* * *

Mamoru didn't call the Center for Disease Control. He did, however, put on gloves and a mask to attend Nia after Kaelan fearlessly carried her up to the guest room on the third floor. "I should be pissed that she keeps getting in here without anybody realizing it," he said, standing with his arms crossed, "but I actually admire her. She must have been a damn good thief."

Mamoru shot him a raised eyebrow, prompting Kaelan to sit down in the chair on the other side of the bed. "Why would you applaud someone who admitted to her crimes yet managed to get off scott-free the world over?"

"If you really wanna know, it's because she reminds me of myself when I was a kid– I used to fight and steal and break into places. But unlike her, I didn't get away with it… actually I fucked us over pretty well. After bringing me home from my latest booking, this one cop said my mum needed a man in her life to straighten out her little bastard son. Mum lost her head and beat him all the way out of our house with her broom. That's called assaulting an officer in case you didn't know."

Mamoru was wide-eyed. "Then what happened?"

"She sent me to my room and went back to cleaning for a bit, then she rang someone. She said 'Simon, you need to come see your son. I might be in trouble and he has to have somebody watching over him.' That was the first mention of my father in twelve years, and Mum knew his name and how to contact him no less. At that point I was confused and pissed to say the least."

Kaelan stared at Nia's inert left hand as Mamoru stared at him, so neither was aware that her eyes were open slightly and she was listening to the story. "Did your mother go to jail?" Mamoru asked

He shook his head. "No, but can you guess why? My dad never showed up and Mum refused to let me go because of what one shit cop had said, so she started fucking him. He made sure _everyone_ knew what was going on, that he could fuck both of us with the cock of the law at any time."

"You poor thing…" Nia suddenly spoke, making the boys jump in their seats. "I hope this story has a happy ending. You know, other than you becoming a millionaire."

"How long have you been awake?" Mamoru inquired.

"Long enough to pity him."

After fetching a glass of water for her, Kaelan sat on the edge of his chair with his elbows on his knees. "Where was I?"

"The cock of the law," Nia supplied.

"Right. So, since this cop was banging my mum, it wasn't exactly the greatest reflection of the authorities. I seriously considered joining the mob for a long time. It would have been a way to get back at the police for making my life miserable."

"Despite everything that happened to you being the result of your own actions," Nia stated.

Kaelan nodded. "I realized that after I turned fifteen. It was _my_ fault that Mum got screwed by that cop. I went to school, looked for a respectable job, stopped being a menace to society. The cop came around less often but I knew he had an eye on us. Mum was safe since his injuries were gone and there was no proof she'd ever attacked him. But if I fucked up in the slightest I'd definitely go to jail, and by that point we knew we were all the other had."

Nia turned to Mamoru and stage-whispered, "Did you have any idea he was such a mama's boy?"

"Shut it," Kaelan returned, smiling a little. "My mum is the master. She's the reason why I still have a head on my shoulders." He cast his gaze to the floor. "Since my dad basically ignored my existence, I owe everything to Mum. The person I am now is all because of her."

Nia smiled. "You've used your millions to do something nice for her, right?"

"Oh yeah," Kaelan grinned, "I contacted my dad and gave him an earful on behalf of both of us."

"How did you do that?" Mamoru asked.

He shrugged. "It was easy. I found out that he's in the Irish Army, a commandant to be exact. He has an office number and I left a very clear, concise message for him. Basically I said that neither me nor Mum will lose sleep if he gets shot by those damn Brits at the border. And I said there must be a good reason why Grandad put me in the will instead of him, which was all for the better since I'm using his money to actually help people, something _he_ never did." Kaelan turned his nose in the air, radiating pride.

Nia raised an eyebrow. "I honestly don't think you could have sounded more like a petulant child just now. It's obvious you're still missing out on attention from your father. You want him to be impressed by your accomplishments and see that you _are_ worth his time."

"I have zero fucks to give about Simon Burke," Kaelan returned, standing. "The only thing he's ever done and will ever do for me is give me his name… which was actually my mum's decision, now that I realize it. But to be honest I wouldn't saddle my kid with 'Macshuibhne' either." With that he left the room, tromping down the stairs and shouting to Joe about what he made for lunch.

The girl in bed turned to her doctor. "Are you familiar with that saying 'absolute power corrupts absolutely'? I think it would be prudent to keep Kaelan's ego on the ground where it belongs and not in the clouds above everyone else. He'll listen to you– he respects you."

"I'm not sure I'd act much differently in his position," Mamoru admitted.

"Yes you would," she said with a gentle smile. "The only person affected by your ego is yourself."


	17. Remember Me

**Chapter Seventeen: Remember Me**

Joe checked his watch again and nervously glanced up the street. Rei was probably just stuck in traffic… probably. That had to be why she was late to their meeting at the Pacific Science Center. They needed her to complete their 'triple IMAX date' as Zach had referred to it, though he quickly regretted those words as Makoto's paranoia surfaced and he had to reassure her that this was not a giant scheme of Usagi's to get her and Nicholas alone in the dark.

"It still sounds to me like you're sailing down a river in Egypt, Mako."

"I'm not in denial!" she refuted.

Zach shrugged innocently. "I'm just saying that maybe Usagi is on to something. You guys _do_ have a lot in common. You certainly have a lot of chemistry in the kitchen." He grinned at his own awful joke while Makoto scoffed and rolled her eyes.

Her alleged love interest returned from the water science exhibit. "Rei's still not here?"

"No, and now I'm worried," Ami answered. "She hasn't replied to any of our calls or texts!"

"Why don't we just go pick her up?"

"I would," Joe said, "except that nobody knows where she lives."

"For real? Haven't we been friends for, like, four months? I thought at least one of you had been to her place." Everyone guiltily shook their heads.

"All I know is that she lives near Bastyr, but that's a fifty-acre perimeter we'd have to search."

Nicholas groaned at how dense these supposedly intelligent people could be at times. "So let's check the student directory, and if she's not listed we'll just go there and ask an admin where she lives. Ami can pretend to be a relative or something."

"Who would believe that? We don't look at all alike!" she protested. "Rei comes from a very respectable family with noble blood."

"So she's like royalty? That's cool." Zach got behind the wheel of his car while Nicholas claimed the passenger seat and the other three sat in back. In lieu of taking two vehicles and despite its illegality, they planned to have two of the girls share a seatbelt. If Zach hadn't offered to drive he would have arranged it so Ami sat on his lap.

"The Hinos aren't actually related to the emperor. They've acted as spiritual advisors to the imperial family since the Tokugawa era," Makoto explained once they were on the highway. "Rei's grandpa is the last priest in the family, though. I heard that Rei was training to succeed him, but when her mom died her dad took her away from the shrine and sent her off to private school. It was because of her mom's family, the Asano, that her dad was even able to become a politician."

"What do they do?" Joe inquired. He hadn't known any of this about Rei.

Ami took over. "Most of the Asano are in business and politics, but there are different levels. Some work in local government, others national, still others international, like Rei's father."

"But what does he do _exactly_?"

"Hino Takashi is one of Japan's foreign relations officers to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. He acts as liaison between corporations and government officials."

Joe mulled the job description over for a minute, then pulled out his phone to start Googling. "How do you even know all this?" Zach inquired. "Do they teach you all about the aristocracy in school or something?"

Ami laughed. "I know this because the hospital where my mother works is owned by the Asano's medical division. They funded it but another smaller company manages it."

"Japan sounds way too confusing," Nicholas remarked. "I don't think I could live there."

"You're a bit too big for Tokyo," Makoto agreed, "but I bet you'd like Kansai. Beautiful countryside, lots of hot springs."

Joe didn't hear the discussion about life in Japan going on around him. His search for 'Takashi Hino APEC' turned up several articles about successful negotiations for a textiles company. He selected one at random, then a chill went through him as he scrolled down the page. There was a picture of six smiling men in suits and hard hats, and behind them was, according to the caption, ten thousand acres of land that would soon be home to a vast cotton field. But all Joe saw was ten thousand acres of ravaged Indonesian rainforest.

It turned out that Rei _was_ listed in the student directory under the title of 'Oriental medicine consultant', so they skirted campus to the apartment complex on the eastern side. "Wait here" Joe commanded, exiting the vehicle before Zach had even parked. He went upstairs to the second level, found Rei's door on the far end, and stood there with clenched fists.

His anger was as smoldering embers beneath his skin. He wanted to yell and curse and break something, but he also knew he had to talk to Rei in a calm, rational manner. Mostly he was angered that she hadn't told him anything about her family, assuming she had purposely withheld such information after getting to know him. She knew he was a steward of the land and hadn't thought to mention the fact that her family was cutting down trees, ruining ecosystems, killing off endangered species and generally _destroying the fucking planet_ in the name of corporate greed. Her father's latest despicable business deal paid for her tuition and the apartment, her car, her clothes, food, _everything_…

He suddenly heard his name. His vision was so red with hate that he could hardly make out Rei's form at the threshold. "Josef, you need to calm down. You can't control your aura, you'll hurt yourself."

"_No, __you're__ the one who's going to get hurt."_

"I can't understand what you're saying, Josef. I don't know any Russian. Please, you need to listen to me. Can you hear me?"

"_Yes, I can hear you, but I don't want to listen…"_

Rei felt as if the person standing before her was possessed by a demon. She could sense Joe's desire to harm her; it had filled his aura, turned it from calm turquoise to violent, fiery red, and had grown large enough to completely engulf her. The effort of shielding herself against this metaphysical attack gave her a tremendous migraine, and she almost cried from the pain, but she knew that Joe was not himself in spirit. Something spoke to her _through_ him, something that held an ancient grudge against her. Maybe it recognized her soul from a past life incarnation, but she had no idea who these parts of them might be.

"Why do you want to hurt me, Josef?" Rei's readings told her to speak the person's name as much as possible so they would hear it and remember themselves.

"_You lied to me. You betrayed me."_

"If you calm down we can talk about why you're mad at me. If I did something that hurt you I can apologize. Is that what you want, Josef?" She held her breath as he narrowly regarded her. Rei knew she should be terrified but she clung to the hope that Joe was hadn't fully given in to this being.

"_Your apology is useless… TRAITOR!"_

The force in that word sent Rei stumbling backward, but as she did intense heat blossomed in her chest and momentarily filled _her_ with rage. She remembered the person at her doorstep and despised him with every fiber of her being. She felt it throughout her entire soul, channeling the desire to utterly annihilate him into her talisman, the ruby necklace. Passers-by only saw a couple glaring at one another, not their blazing auras clashing so violently that they caused the wooden door to begin splintering, the windows to vibrate, metal fixtures to warp…

Rei felt pain lance through her chest, then the aural pressure simply vanished. She gasped, shuddered, and screwed her eyes shut as the return of her migraine made her reel, almost sending her to the floor. Luckily she recovered in time to realize that Joe was falling toward her, unconscious and nothing but dead weight for her arms to catch. She laid his head on her lap instead of the cold floor tiles. "Josef, can you hear me?"

His eyes fluttered open. They were their natural hue once more, green as the flora he cultivated. "Rei…" he said, nearly breathless. "What happened?"

"You passed out at my doorstep."

"I did? That's weird."

"Have you never fainted before?" Joe tried shaking his head and noted that it rested on her thighs. He could feel her thumbs making gentle circles on his temples, and he closed his eyes to the sensation. "Don't pass out on me again, Josef."

"I'm won't– I don't faint. It's not manly."

Rei gave a little tut. "That is the absolute _last_ thing you should be concerned with. You are the picture of stereotypical masculinity."

"Is that bad?" he wondered. The girl only rolled her eyes and quirked one corner of her lips. "How come you didn't meet us at the theater?"

Rei looked down at him, her countenance dim. "I'm very sorry about that. I was on the phone with my father which was why none of you could reach me. I hung up when I sensed… you… at the door."

"Your father…" Joe breathed deeply, successfully quelling the rage that bubbled up this time. "Is Hino Takashi really your father? How can you be related to such an…"

"Evil man?" Rei finished. "A corporate tool? He didn't use to be that way. Before my mother died he cared about nature. He cared about mankind's pursuit of spiritual harmony… He cared about achieving enlightenment, following the path of Buddha, living in peace with the world and all its creatures. I guess he did that for Mother, so when she died he no longer had a reason."

"He could have done it for you…" Joe murmured.

She said nothing for a minute, then, "I should have told you. I knew you would come across an article about that damned textile company pillaging the rainforest and make the connection, but I hoped, naïvely, that you would form an opinion of me independent of my family because I'm not like any of them."

"I know you're not," the boy smiled. "You're Rei and you're amazing." That earned a slight laugh. "Yet as comfortable as this is, the laying-on-you and the conversation, we should probably get back to our friends."

* * *

Nia recovered quickly and requested food items that were not available for immediate consumption. Mostly she wanted cans of smoked clams and oysters, earning funny looks from Kaelan, Mamoru and Usagi. "They contain over half the recommended daily value of iron, and since I just suffered a hemorrhagic fever—"

"Got it," Kaelan cut in. He wasn't squeamish about blood having gutted and filleted fish for a stint, but he was fairly certain that most people infected with the Ebola virus didn't bounce back from it so easily. But Nia said she was immune and had been poisoned… He was no doctor, of course, and just grabbed his coat and keys before asking questions he wouldn't understand the answers to.

She stood at the island drinking a vitamin-rich smoothie, sipping serenely and ignoring the stares received from Usagi and Mamoru. Kaelan had burned her bloody clothes in the outdoor fire pit; she now wore one of his silk bathrobes since nothing else fit her. She also had a thing about natural fabrics and avoiding detergents, so she would have spurned the boys' clothing anyway. "Will you tell us what's going on?" Mamoru finally asked. "Not just about how you were attacked but the talismans and guardians as well. I think you owe us some explanations."

"Do I?" Nia challenged, fixating him with her dark eyes.

He unflinchingly held her gaze. "Yes, you do. I was the one who found the compact with the pendants, after all."

"Usagi would have found it herself eventually. It was looking for her."

The blonde tilted her head. "You say that like it has a will of its own."

Nia only smiled surreptitiously, then opened her compact to a ninety-degree angle and set it before Usagi. "Do the same with yours and the one I gave you."

She obeyed and found herself staring into three metallic mirrors: silver, gold and bronze, in that order. Her gaze lingered on the center compact. "Who does this belong to?"

"The last guardian, the one I tried to rescue. She would have joined us had _they_ not been waiting for her."

"You still haven't told me who 'they' are."

Nia set her drink down with a sigh. "That is because I didn't want to drag you into this conflict… you _or_ your friends. I hoped to combat them on my own and find the last guardian without any of you being fully awakened, but that was… naïve of me, I suppose. I didn't realize how strong they had become. I thought they had perished and been reborn like the rest of us." She searched Usagi's eyes for forgiveness. "I paid for my ignorance, and now it is time to admit that I _do_ need your help. Yours too, Mamoru."

"M-me?" he stammered. "What can I do?"

"I don't know yet, but we will find out soon…" Another furtive little smile. "Assuming you _want_ to, that is. You two have choices that were never granted to me. I was fated to join this conflict, if not during this lifetime than the next, over and over again until things are made right. That is what this all comes down to– the balance of our universe must be restored, but we have to fight to make it happen." Nia paused to lower her voice. "If you agree to stand with me, I will tell you everything I know… but your lives will never be the same again."

Usagi felt a pressure in her head, as if her brain were swelling or something was trying to escape. It felt like information or memories long suppressed were surfacing again, pounding on the door to her consciousness, begging her to open it. She wasn't sure if she wanted strangers in her mind, but she had to let them in to fully understand the situation. The facts were laid out before her like stepping stones across her river of cognizance, ready to lead her to the answer on the opposite shore. Once she took the first step there would be no going back, no return to blissful ignorance.

And what of her friends? Would they follow suit, or even be aware of her decision? How much would they change if they made the same choice? What would happen if they ignored their destiny?

"I wish you weren't putting us on the spot," Mamoru spoke, his voice a lance of reason piercing Usagi's thoughts. "I wish we knew what to expect, what exactly we're agreeing to."

Surprisingly, Nia smiled warmly. "You can expect to relive your dreams. You two were together then and here you are now. Back then you were _leaders_. You had the power to change society and the world as you saw fit, much like Kaelan is attempting to do now. But he will be destroyed by his ambition unless he can learn to follow someone wiser and more empathetic. You have to lead him, Mamoru."

He didn't hear that last part because he was staring at Usagi. It was important they make this decision together. Shanta said they had to face the trials to come with combined strength; it would be futile for one to embrace their destiny and not the other. Mamoru was a bit in awe of his ability to think about this in such a logical manner. His very nature was exoteric, yet now he accepted concepts like reincarnation, destiny and soul mates! "I'll do it," he stated. "I'll fight with you."

"Why?" Nia asked.

"Intuition, mostly… And why put off until tomorrow what can be accomplished today?" What he meant was that his next incarnation could deal with the universal imbalance, but by then it might be irrevocable. Mamoru was eager to embark on this meaningful quest, this spiritual expedition that would lead to power he hadn't even known he possessed. _"But what will you do with it after saving the world?" _his logic queried. _"Heroes are often forgotten."_

_'I'm not going to forget myself, not again. Never again.'_

"I'll fight, too," Usagi said. Her voice was small and quiet, though. She had regrets and uncertainties, but like Mamoru her intuition said it was the right thing to do. And she had played too much of the game not to see it through to the end.

Nia nodded. "Very well. Now you may learn the truth about who you are." She rearranged the compacts so the gold one was nearest Mamoru and the silver one before Usagi, then turned her copper compact toward herself. She could see both of their reflections in the bronze lid, their faces meshing to become one person, and they in turn could see her reflection, but only half, so Usagi and Mamoru both stared into one of her dark eyes.

* * *

There was no invocation or spell; Nia simply focused on their hazy portrait as they became lost in her reflected gaze. Mamoru drowsily noted that her eye was blue now, bluer even than the sky or the purest tropical waters, and felt himself falling asleep, falling into them, losing himself in her azure depths. He rose into the heavens and sunk into the sea simultaneously, his physical form being torn by these opposing forces until he felt something solid beneath his feet. He didn't want to be on the ground, he wanted to continue sinking and flying.

He glanced up and was assaulted by the night sky. There were more stars than he'd ever seen before and he could find none of the constellations. Some shone very brightly, like Venus at dawn or dusk during the summer, and others appeared quite large as if close to Earth. He identified a great red sphere as Mars, and when he turned around he could see a faint line going through a bright star he realized was in fact the planet Saturn, its ice-crystal rings reflecting light back at him. It dawned on him that he should not be able to see Saturn with the naked eye.

_"This was the view from Oceania during the beginning of the Golden Era,"_ said Nia, her voice coming from all around him. _"The solar system was not young yet not as old as the one you know. The planets were closer together, some almost in binary orbits, and the asteroid belt was nothing more than its largest specimens Ceres, Vesta and Pallas, considered minor planets. Look around yourself."_

Mamoru turned in a circle, realizing he stood atop a pyramid on a relatively small island; he saw nothing but calm ocean on every horizon. No moon was visible but he could discern vegetation and dwellings with surprising clarity. _"This is the work of the Ancients, the First People, and they built this pyramid to be closer to the heavens. Even though they were new to this planet, even though they had barely explored it, they desired to learn what lay beyond, to travel to the bright islands in the sea above them."_

He experienced a brief dizzying sensation, then he found himself on a more ornate pyramid flanked by glass and stone buildings. Tall evergreen trees now dominated the skyline. _"The years brought profound change. As the Sun expanded it warmed the core of the planet, now called Terra, causing continents to rise from the ocean. The Ancients utilized volcanic heat to make glass, and with glass they invented devices that let them see further into the heavens. They recognized the Sun for what it was, a ball of intense flame and not a place they could venture, but then…"_

Night again veiled Mamoru but he couldn't see the stars as well as before– a light source polluted the view. He rotated and saw the moon hanging in the sky above, half-lit, its visible craters like dry lakebeds. _"Terra managed to capture one of the asteroids in its orbit. Mars caught some too, but Venus and Mercury were too close to the swelling Sun. Terrans watched their atmospheres change and become inhospitable, and Mars drew further away, but Luna was right there, tidally locked, allowing the Terrans to plan their journey into space. Utilizing heat and pressure, they launched a ship to the region deemed most accommodating. At the end of the Golden Era, Terrans successfully colonized Luna, naming their new land Mar Serenitatis."_

"The Sea of Serenity…" Mamoru breathed. He wasn't aware he possessed a voice and gasped at the sound of it, making Nia laugh. It was a gentle laugh, the kind a mother gives when amused by their child.

_"During the Silver Era –as it came to be called, for it was less grand than the Golden Era– Terrans developed wonderful technology, thrived as a society, and realized their limits. They could not travel beyond the solar system, but that wasn't so bad since there were several other planets and moons to explore. They mapped Terra, saw how Luna made the ocean's movements predictable, and the population soon spread everywhere but the frozen poles."_

Mamoru experienced a slight sinking feeling as the world whirled around him yet again. His pyramid remained the same but now he faced familiar architecture, mostly of the Greek variety but also Mesopotamian and Mesoamerican. Everything held vivid color, so bright that it almost hurt to look at, and he could smell hundreds of different plants and flowers, minerals in the dirt, and moisture in the air.

_"The Silver Era lasted longer than any other. Although they continued to make advancements, humanity reached a stasis. They repeated the process of studying and colonizing each planet, even managing to bear the heat of the Sun and the chill of the Outer Limits, until realizing that life was not quite the same as it had been on Terra. The Martians, for instance, needed water if they were to survive, as their planet had very little of it. Luckily Mars was very iron-rich and they could trade weapons to Terra for ice, and Venus followed suit with precious metals and jewels._

_Mercurians became great inventors of technology and devised the portals that allowed people to travel between colonies. The people of Jupiter harnessed the power of its violent storms, mastering lightning and wind energy. Everyone shared their discoveries with Terra in exchange for the materials they needed to prosper. Over time, though, people forgot this. Once the planets were self-sufficient they established their own royal bloodlines and fiercely guarded the secrets behind their resources._

_Attitudes changed for about a century after Pluto suddenly appeared on the fringes of Neptune's domain, the great water planet at the edge of the Dark Cloud. Neptune, Uranus and Saturn pledged to protect one another should anything more malign appear from the Dark Cloud. Eventually, when it was discovered that Pluto was nothing more than a wayward sphere of ice, tensions dissipated… or so it seemed."_

Mamoru had been listening and watching in a comfortable trance, so he was slightly annoyed when he had to stand on his own feet in the middle of a plain white room. "Where am I?" he asked, cringing as his voice echoed loudly.

_"This is the private chamber of King Hyperion, situated deep in a crater on the dark side of Luna away from prying eyes."_

"What's he got to hide?" An opening door answered him. He froze when the king looked right at him and strode into the room, but he passed through Mamoru as if he were nothing more than air. "Am I invisible? Ethereal?" His hand looked solid enough.

_"You are seeing events unfold as I have been shown,"_ Nia replied. She had come to stand beside him, wearing a backless teal gown with bronze jewelry draped all over her body. Mamoru was garbed in dark green velvet trousers, leather boots, and a dark blue tunic with gold trim. A compass rose dangled from the collar. _"Watch,"_ Nia urged, and he abandoned his self-inspection.

Hyperion seemed to be the perpetually-scowling type, for there were lines around his lips and brow. He didn't look very old, but he had grey hair and clouded eyes. His jaw was square and he had a Roman nose, a jewel from his circlet just reaching the bridge. The king's attire was mostly black with silver trim and consisted of trousers, a tunic, a floor-length surcoat, and tall boots and a breastplate in the same hard, opaque white material. _"The Lunarans perfected ceramic armor,"_ Nia explained, reading his mind.

The man bent to place his hand flat on the floor, then a hidden pedestal rose with him. On it was a softball-sized sphere containing cloud fluff. Hyperion gazed into it, unmoving and unspeaking for a full minute, before smirking and turning on his heel, the pedestal descending as he left the room.

"What is—" Mamoru began to ask, but Nia raised a hand for silence. After an undetermined amount of time the door opened again. It was not Hyperion who came through but a boy in his early teens. He slowly circled the room a few times, occasionally brushing the marble bricks. Eventually he knelt exactly where Hyperion had, but instead of putting his palm on the biometric scanner (as Mamoru assumed it was) he placed a screen over it and then his hand. The pedestal came up, the boy grabbed the orb and put it in a large pouch on his belt, and then he was gone. Mamoru lifted an eyebrow at Nia.

_"That was Prince Pheletes, heir to the Mercurial Kingdom, commonly known as the Thief Prince. He has just stolen an artifact of infinite value."_

Mamoru furrowed his brow. "That thing looked familiar."

_"It should,"_ Nia smiled. _"Pheletes gave it to his daughter Pronoia, Princess of Mercury during your time. It is called the Eye of the Universe."_

That name triggered a flood of memories, almost too many for Mamoru to handle. He went to his knees while grabbing his head, which was surely about to split open. The pain was brief, however, and when it subsided he slowly looked up at Nia. "You were a priestess, a steward of Terra." She nodded. "You lived in Elysium, the most beautiful, uncorrupted part of the planet… my sanctuary." She nodded again, somberly. "You… you died for me."

_"Indeed I did, and I would do it again."_

"Why?"

"_Because you were a revolutionary, Endymion."_ They hovered above the palace he now recognized as the Lunar family's. Selene was down there somewhere… unless she had snuck off to the portal that would take her to Terra, to him. _"You were a rather naïve prince, so you didn't realize that falling in love with Princess Selene was the worst sin you could commit according to the Lunarans. While the other kingdoms isolated themselves, Terra kept its heart open to anyone who wanted to return to their true home. Human life as we know it began there, after all."_

His view gradually zoomed out until it encompassed the entire solar system. He could still see the details of each kingdom, a sight that made him smile. Everyone had Terran blood in their veins but within him flowed the pure blood of the Ancients, those who had made it possible for the solar system to thrive. They owed everything to the Terrans, but they just couldn't let things be. They should have let him love Selene.

* * *

Usagi grew nauseous upon watching her own death and the subsequent deaths of her friends, save Verticordia. "Why did Beryl do it?" she asked Nia, who stood stoically beside her.

_"Because your father asked her to."_

"My own _father_ wanted me dead?!"

_"You have to understand that the Lunarans believed themselves superior to everyone else in the solar system based solely on the fact that they were the first colony, the first to escape the confines of their birthplace. They adopted the name 'First People' but they were hardly magnificent enough to bear it. They had nothing– Luna was a barren rock, but they were too proud to leave or accept help in changing it. The struggle to continue existing in a place that was never meant to support life made them resentful."_

"So Hyperion hated me for betraying my lineage."

_"Which is foolish, considering his queen –your mother– was born from the union of a Terran and a Lunaran. I trust you know the legend of Kaguya? It is a story inspired by the meeting of your maternal grandparents."_

Usagi nodded slowly; most children knew the tale. "Who is my mother?" That sense of vertigo claimed her as Nia transported them to a courtyard in the very center of the palace. A large fountain deposited water into a pond of pale pink lilies, one of the few plants that held color on Luna. A woman in a sleek silver gown sat on the edge of the fountain, her feet and dress soaking up water as iridescent dragonflies flittered about, occasionally landing on her. If not for her blinking eyes she could have been a statue, part of the garden itself.

_"Her Serene Highness Queen Iremia of Luna, but everyone in the solar system calls her the Serene Lady."_ Nia wrapped her arms around herself and sighed despondently. _"She was the main proponent for peace in the system. She created the Inner Alliance after Pluto appeared, and your generation was only the second to uphold it. If the ceremony to unite you and Endymion had been completed, Terra would have joined the alliance. But Hyperion wanted to rule Terra, not be its equal, so he bribed the Priestess Beryl into slaying you, which he knew would unravel everything your mother strove to accomplish."_

"Why did he have to be so selfish?" Usagi asked in a small voice. Seeing all this made her feel very insignificant; she doubted she could have changed anything even by being married to Endymion, for the princesses and generals had been very quick to turn on one another. She looked to Nia for an answer and found her staring down at Iremia with something like pity on her visage.

She straightened, sighed, and faced the blonde. _"Selfishness defines humanity, Usagi. We reproduce at alarming rates to pass on our bloodlines and family names, not all of which are worthy of enduring. We could eradicate many diseases if those with infected code stopped spreading their genes. Many cultures around the globe follow patronymic naming conventions, a clear testament of the selfishness of men. But what is the point of a name unless it is attached to actions worth remembrance?"_

Usagi ruminated on this for a minute. "I guess that means I shouldn't have kids. I'm not going to do anything significant during my life. I just want to design clothes… I can't make people healthy like Mako-chan through her cooking, or heal them like Ami, Mina, Rei or Mamo-chan. And I can't heal the environment like Joe, or build amazing things like Nicholas and Kaelan. Zach and I do what we do because we want attention… we're selfish."

_"Nonsense!"_ Nia laughed, startling the girl. _"The two of you are artists. Your crafts are testaments to human creativity and imagination, the very traits that took them to the edge of the solar system. Your designs will affect the wearer's emotional state, and Zach's parodies of life will help people question it, and perhaps prompt them to change for the better."_

"But who says what the right way to live is, Nia? Who makes the rules about what's good and bad? You can't just tell people to die off because they're prone to disease or say someone can't have kids because they don't deserve to! Everyone should be free to make their own decisions in life!"

_"We __are__ free to do as we please…"_ the green-garbed girl softly responded. _"But that freedom will only last as long as we exist. As it stands now, humanity is heralding its own extinction. We continue to destroy the planet and one another for selfish reasons."_ She smiled a little and took up Usagi's hands. _"Didn't you see how beautiful everything was up until your death? Compare that to the Earth we live on now. It became that way due to the chaos Hyperion ushered. Would you like to see how it happened?"_

Usagi closed her eyes while taking a resigned breath. "I don't know… I don't think I can handle much more of this. Where's Mamo-chan?"

_"In stasis, waiting to join us."_

"Then I want to see it with him… the end of the Silver Era."


	18. Crossroads

**Chapter Eighteen: Crossroads**

Verticordia gathered a memento from all who had perished in Elysium, including the ashes of Khamyne and armor fragments from Nemesis and Nephrite, and fled to the Tower of the Heavens, the pyramid from which Mamoru had surveyed Terra's evolution. The remaining priests and priestesses pursued and killed her, but not before she used her ilmenite sword to break open the top of the pyramid and leave everything inside. Venus martyred her and became the first planet to leave the Inner Alliance, declaring war on Terra. Terra declared war on Luna in turn, citing their false reasons for invasion. Hyperion refuted them by saying his dead daughter was proof enough of their treachery.

After Terra had been all but obliterated, Luna turned on their allies and took control of Venus, Mercury and Mars, hoping to use their newfound strength to invade the outer planets. Jupiter defeated the Lunaran Empire single-handedly, but with their resources destroyed they turned their considerable might on the Outer Alliance. Intense battles raged across Neptune's oceans, Uranus' volatile atmosphere and Pluto's ice fields for years until they simply ran out of manpower. A solar system-wide truce was made and the surviving members of the once-great planetary kingdoms gathered on Terra to start anew.

_"Here begins the Bronze Era, the darkest time in human history which, according to those whose vision we three share, is still ongoing."_ Nia transported Mamoru and Usagi to their omnipotent viewpoint once again.

"I just find it hard to believe that one man's pettiness brought down an entire empire," the boy remarked. "Would everything have unfolded the same way if Selene and I hadn't met?"

_"Yes, the kingdoms would have warred over resources eventually."_

A sudden burst of energy near the Sun signified the arrival of a large, dark planet and Usagi dropped her jaw in amazement. "Is that Nibiru? Kaelan said it didn't exist!"

_"It is a planet called Tartarus," _Nia answered.

Mamoru reflexively began to ask for details, but this experience had taught him that his answered would be revealed momentarily. Sure enough, Tartarus simply hovered beside the Sun, not even throwing off the orbits of the inner planets. "Is it… tangible?" he then wondered, for it seemed to defy physics.

_"No, and that is probably what saved us all. The beings on that planet come from deep within the Dark Cloud where there is no light. They use wormholes to approach suns and attempt to transport them to their system, but the instability of their technology causes the suns to supernova and their wormholes to collapse, leaving behind a black hole. Every black hole in our universe is a remnant of where Tartarus has tried and failed to steal light._

"But there isn't a black hole near our sun," Mamoru pointed out, "and Tartarus clearly didn't steal it. Did they fail because of their intangibility?"

_"They tried something different this time by passing through another dimension to get here, and the part of them in that dimension is being fended off by Terran guardians. Not you, of course– none of you have been reborn at this point."_

"What guardians, then?" Usagi asked.

_"I do not know, but they proved successful. Look."_ Her pointing finger indicated the wormhole collapsing on itself, sucking Tartarus back into the abyss. _"The portal destabilized after the Earth warriors defeated them, and it returned Tartarus to the Dark Cloud where they have been brooding and scheming for the past millennium. I was awakened because they have resumed their nefarious machinations, only this time they attempted to kill off any guardians they could get to."_

"So we're all alive because of you…" Usagi looked surprised for a moment, then gave a grateful nod. Nia returned the motion, and suddenly the three of them were back in the kitchen, the blonde gasping as the magnificent view of outer space was abruptly torn away. She couldn't shake the feeling of claustrophobia; she wanted to get out of this house, leave Earth, and go floating throughout the solar system again. There was so much out there that astronomers had never seen, so much they had hardly theorized (or done so incorrectly), so much history that was just plain _wrong_. Usagi wanted to tell everyone the truth, but who would believe her? She couldn't prove anything unless they saw it for themselves.

Mamoru was content to keep the knowledge to himself. He reveled in the fact that he had been a prince in his past life– someone important, someone who mattered. He didn't feel bad for loving Selene and consequently causing a war– it was Hyperion's fault for being full of hubris. If he'd only targeted Endymion, the Inner Alliance probably would have helped him take over Terra. In the end, all the bloodlines became mixed and Hyperion perished. All he'd succeeded in doing was causing chaos.

"This last guardian…" he spoke, addressing Nia, "She represents the Sun, doesn't she?"

The girl nodded and Usagi looked at him in awe. "How did you figure that out, Mamo-chan?"

"It was the logical conclusion– all life revolves around the sun. There wouldn't have been any Terra or First People without it." He faced Nia again. "But she's not like us, is she? She has absolutely no memories… no dreams… of who she used to be, so she doesn't know the danger she and the world are in."

"Very astute of you," Nia said. Usagi looked at her in confusion. "Her name is Solaria, and once Usagi gave the guardians their talismans she was supposed to receive a collective vision of all that had happened so she would remember herself. But the minions of Tartarus saw her in the Eye. A beacon was released after Shanta and Hotaru were awakened and they followed it right to her, capturing her mere moments before I arrived. I fought to save her, but they overpowered me… easily, I might add, because my power is not fully restored. I believe that has something to do with you, Mamoru."

He nodded grimly as Nia withdrew a wallet from her back pocket and took out a small stack of photographs. She lined them up on the counter while stating their names. "Varuna. Haumea. Sedna. Salacia. Ixion. Typhon. Deucalion. Orcus." She paused to glare at the last one. "Eris, current ruler of the Dark Cloud. These are the faces of our enemies."

"They look like normal people," Usagi remarked.

"Their lack of humanity will become apparent once you fight one of them. Before we begin that venture, we need to find Mamoru's talisman. I suspect it originated in the Yonaguni ruins like the others, but it must have drifted away by now. In fact, it may have washed up nearby…"

Kaelan returned at this time, slamming the front door. "I had to go to _four_ different grocery stores to find your blasted clams," he declared upon entering the kitchen, "so you'd better be grateful!" He saw the row of pictures arranged on the island and noticed how the three of them were sitting very business-like. "Is that a hit list?"

Usagi and Mamoru both wanted to deny it, but they were simultaneously struck with the realization that they would in fact have to hunt down the members of the Dark Cloud and kill them… or be killed themselves. So they remained silent, looking a little ashamed while Nia grinned. "These are very bad people, Kaelan," she said. "We have to do something about them."

"Right," he stated. "Carry on, then."

* * *

Friday was Hotaru's favorite day of the week because it meant she wouldn't have to be at school for two whole days. That was two days without being jostled in the halls. Two days without eating alone in the cafeteria; two days she didn't have to listen to people talk about her "weird food". Two days without hearing "how can you be so skinny?" from other girls in the locker room. Two days she didn't have to spend sitting in classes that hadn't held meaning since her dreams began. She knew the young couple was going to change her life for the better, that all of this would just disappear once they showed up.

Yet even though she had her pendant now, her beautiful trillion sapphire on a chain of pure silver, nothing had changed. In fact, things had gotten a little bit _worse_.

It was as if the sapphire had opened up her Third Eye even more. In addition to seeing ancient celestial kingdoms in her dreams, Hotaru could now hear the thoughts of people near her. This only happened when her mind was clear and focused, and she was usually in such a state while taking a test. There were a lot of those the week preceding winter break.

Hotaru hoped she would find solace in P. E. Her class had to complete a two-mile run and she knew everyone would be too focused on maintaining their pace to allow random thoughts into their minds. But yet again she was proven wrong as someone close by suddenly started thinking about _her_.

"_Finally, there's Hotaru! I'll just catch up to her and say hi. Does she even know my name?"_

She did in fact recognize the voice as belonging to Andrew Vargas, the most attractive boy in class according to what gossip she overheard. He was also one of the most popular sophomores in school, being a member of the student council and all, so why did he care what she thought of him? _'Well duh, he obviously likes you.'_ Which made no sense because Hotaru ensured she was as unremarkable as possible. She wasn't on any teams or clubs, she wore simple, boring clothes to school, and she was a B-average student. An overachiever like Andrew Vargas should not care if someone like her knew his name.

"Hey, Hotaru!" She had been overanalyzing things as usual and didn't even realize Andrew was now jogging beside her. "How're you hanging in there?"

"I'm okay," she answered. "This cold air makes it hard to breathe."

"No kidding!" he returned, laugh-wheezing. "It's supposed to finally snow tonight. Bet it's way colder here than Japan or Thailand, huh?"

"Yeah, but how did you know I lived there?"

Guilt flashed across Andrew's face, and Hotaru heard the response before he said it so she was able to hide her surprise. "One of my friends works in the main office. I really wanted to know where you moved here from so I asked her to look at your file."

"I see," Hotaru said evenly. "So I guess you also know that I'm adopted."

Andrew nodded somberly. "Yeah, I didn't mean to read that part, it was just kinda on the page. But it's cool… I mean, you shouldn't be embarrassed about it or anything. Lots of kids are adopted."

"I know, and I'm not embarrassed." She laughed a little. "My mom is a really good person…" _'She's a better parent than Dad ever was.'_ "…so I'm glad she adopted me."

"Cool, that's really cool…" Andrew grimaced at his awkwardness and Hotaru laughed again. His mind was formulating and dismissing hundreds of thoughts, many of which were along the lines of "oh my god, I'm actually talking to her, now what do I do?" After a few minutes he successfully wrangled one into his speech center. "So, hey, I don't know if you'd be interested, but some friends of mine are having a party-kind-of-thing over on Bainbridge Island next weekend. We're going to do some hiking, explore Fort Ward, then have a beach bonfire. Would you want to maybe go with me?

"Sure, that sounds fun," Hotaru replied with a smile. She bit the inside of her cheek to keep herself focused on finishing her sixth lap instead of plunging into Andrew's rampant mind. He thought about what to wear, what time to pick her up, wondered if she'd like his car, wondered what _she_ would wear, praised himself for talking to her after all this time of admiring her from afar, hoped to god that he'd get the opportunity to kiss her because she was _so_ pretty…

Since P.E. was her last period, Hotaru didn't bother showering after her two-mile run, which she completed in just over twelve minutes, the third-best time in the class. She got dressed as quickly as possible and returned to the main building to grab some textbooks from her locker. Nobody wished her a merry Christmas or happy holidays as she made a beeline for the pick-up and drop-off area. Shanta leaned against her inconspicuous sedan, giving Hotaru a little wave.

_"How can that dot-head woman be her mom? They look nothing alike."_

_"What's with the head scarf? You're in America, lady."_

_"Hotaru's mom is so hot. Wish I could go to her house sometime."_

The girl shook her head to dismiss all the comments about her and her mother. For a brief moment she contemplated tearing the sapphire pendant from her neck, but it was too important to throw away. Even though the changes she expected hadn't come yet, she knew they would. Time revealed all things.

"Disappointed by your peers again?" Shanta inquired after they got on the highway.

"More like disillusioned," Hotaru answered. "I keep hoping there's at least one person in the entire school who's self-aware enough to befriend, but I'm just… Yeah, disappointed." She then grumbled, "Why does everyone have to be so hormonal?" Shanta laughed. "I'm serious, Mom! I hear enough gross stuff to want to become a nun."

The woman smiled kindly. "You have to realize that you were raised in a very different environment than the average American teenager. Your culture is a world apart, and I'm certain that if your peers had experienced the same things, they would be just as self-aware as you. You cannot dismiss them for not yet knowing who they are or which path to walk– it does not come so easily to most people."

"That still doesn't explain why people I've never even talked to are thinking about me naked."

"You can blame biology, Priya. They are at the age where their bodies are ready to reproduce, even if the teenage mind cannot comprehend all the emotions associated with the act." Hotaru groaned at the sex talk. "Perhaps it will cheer you up to know I bought tickets to see that violinist you like so much."

"Kaiou Michiru?!" the girl squeaked, "At Benaroya? When?"

"Tonight at seven. There were a few seats left since it is a weekday, but I thought this could be a special early Christmas present." She smiled broadly as Hotaru practically bounced with excitement, and once home she raced upstairs to her loft, any notion of getting homework done _way_ out of sight and mind. Shanta spent an hour organizing her clinical files before changing out of her salwar kameez into a black evening gown. She transferred her long hair into a neat bun, then put on a headdress consisting of a dark red silk scarf with dangling silver ornaments inlaid with green sapphires, a treasure from her homeland. She wore jeweled black khussa and finished her Indo-western look with a faux fur shrug. Shanta didn't like wearing makeup, but she dusted her face with a mineral veil.

"Priya, are you ready yet?" the woman called. The concert was in twenty minutes.

Hotaru appeared on the landing and struck a pose. She wore a one-shoulder violet cocktail dress with a fully ruffled skirt. Her heels were of the costume variety, strappy and black with purple rhinestones, and all of her wavy hair had been combed to one side, the deep side part secured with bejeweled bobby pins.

"Oh dear, I think Michiru will be upstaged," Shanta remarked.

"It's not that fancy an outfit!" Hotaru protested, but she radiated confidence as she came down the stairs. As they neared Benaroya Hall, she began picking at her cuticles. "What if we overdressed?"

"This is a formal event," Shanta reassured. "I'm sure there will be people in thousand-dollar gowns and suits.

"Thanks, Mom. Now I feel _under_dressed." Hotaru wrapped her arms around herself as her mother surrendered the keys to a valet before entering the foyer of the building. There were many people standing around drinking wine, and Hotaru was only mildly relieved to see other women wearing casual dresses like hers.

After what felt like an eon, the overhead lights dimmed and took the audience's murmuring with it. The curtains parted and two spotlights met on stage to highlight Michiru, who strode to her short, circular pedestal as if walking on water, her teal gown rippling around her. She bowed, placed her violin beneath her chin, and the audience collectively held its breath. After a second's delay, she launched into "Capriccio in A minor" by Danish composer Niels W. Gade.

* * *

Haruka was more than annoyed at the way no one seemed to notice she was on crutches. She wasn't exactly hard to miss, so she assumed everyone was either being intentionally rude because she was disabled, or simply oblivious. Given the amount of complementary wine and champagne, the latter was more likely. She had politely refused a glass someone offered her, not because she couldn't in good conscience accept free alcohol at age nineteen, but because she didn't want anything to dampen the performance. It had been a few years since she last heard the Stradivarius named Marina, so she was looking forward to its more mature voice commanded by Michiru's virtuosic hand.

To be honest, Haruka lost herself in the grand sweep of the first three concertos. _'These Scandinavians really know how to compose,'_ she thought while taking a peak at the program. "Violin Concerto in D major" by Johan Agrell currently filled the hall. It was fifteen minutes long but didn't seem to end; each section effortlessly flowed into the next, and she only opened her eyes when applause filled the hall. Of course Michiru deserved it; she used to be unable to hold Haruka's attention for more than a few minutes at a time, but now she didn't want the music to end.

She waited until everyone else in her row had left to seek refreshments before hobbling out on her crutches. There was a lot of swing in her gait due to the thigh-length cast enveloping her leg. For this reason she had opted for a pantsuit instead of a dress, which she generally found uncomfortable anyway. Some people gave her double-takes as she waited in the beverage line. Was she a femininely-dressed man or a masculine-looking woman? Haruka herself wasn't always sure.

Upon procuring a bottle of water, she hobbled over to the wall and gratefully leaned against it. Despite her weight training regime, using the crutches took a toll on her muscles. She sipped and tuned out the idle chatter around her; everyone was praising Michiru's ability, saying this was the best concert they've been to all year, wondering what she'll do next…

"Um, excuse me," said a nearby voice. Haruka's eyes snapped open and looked down at the teenager standing before her. She wasn't very tall even in heels, but she was also as thin as a rail. Haruka raised an eyebrow when the girl pointed at her chest. "Where did you get that necklace?"

The blonde glanced at the briolette amethyst pendant that had mysteriously appeared in her hospital bed. She wanted to ask Michiru how it got there, but their face time was limited to in-person visits due to the fact that Haruka's cell phone had been crushed in the crash. "I'm not really sure," she answered. "It just kind of showed up."

"Are you that racecar driver who got hurt last month?" the girl then asked. "I saw it on the news. It has to be you– you have the same hair."

Haruka reflexively ran a hand through her blue highlights. "Yeah, I'm Haruka Tenou. Do you want an autograph or something?"

The girl shook her head. "No, I was just wondering… Well, it's complicated."

"Out with it, kid."

Now she glared. "My name is Hotaru, not 'kid', and I'm only three years younger than you, so don't patronize me." Haruka was taken aback by her audacity. "I was just wondering how close you are to Michiru. You're thinking a lot about her, and your mind is the loudest one in here."

"Are you for real?" Haruka snorted. "How do you even know my age?"

"Because you were thinking about playing piano with Michiru in your first year of high school, and you thought that she sounds totally professional now, and you're wondering if people will think it's weird for two famous people in completely opposite circles to be together, assuming you _do_ get back together—"

"Okay, okay, just stop." Haruka waved her hands in disbelief before leaning down to speak quietly. "Can you seriously read my mind?"

"I'm precognitive and telepathic." Hotaru shrugged as if people used such words to describe themselves all the time. "But in all seriousness, I need to know about your necklace. I have a similar one– see?" She held up the sapphire for Haruka's inspection. "My mom has one too, and I'm sure Michiru does." She lowered her voice. "These necklaces were only given to certain people. If you're friends with Michiru, then you have to know Usagi and Mamoru."

Those names rang a bell. "I… I think they came to visit me in the hospital right after my wreck…" Haruka's memory of that day was hazy. "Michiru lives with a girl named Usagi, but I haven't really met her."

Hotaru nodded sagely. "Well, you will soon enough. Since you're a close friend of Michiru's, I was wondering if you could get me and my mom the chance to talk to her after the concert."

"I guess I can try," Haruka mused. "I don't have a VIP pass or anything, but I'm sure no one's going to forcibly stop me from going backstage."

She was exactly right. Haruka carefully maneuvered up the steps and the three of them slipped behind the curtain. Right away they ran into a bespectacled man with a headset on. "Uh, you're not supposed to be back here," he said.

"I'm a friend of Michiru's from high school," Haruka said. "Where can I find her?"

The man pursed his lips but told them where the prep room was. Haruka didn't bother to knock; she just flung the door open on Michiru's conversation with two young men in nice suits. "Haruka!" she exclaimed, instantly throwing her arms around the blonde's neck, "I didn't know you were here!"

"I said I'd be here even if I were in a wheelchair," she replied, hugging the violinist with one arm.

"You don't look much better off on those crutches!" Michiru pulled back to look her in the eye, her own sparkling, until someone cleared their throat. "Oh, where are my manners? These are my friends from Cornish, Matthew and Samuel. Matt is a producer and Sam plays piano and guitar. Guys, this is my dear friend Haruka. She's a professional rallycross driver."

The boys were surprised, but they quickly composed themselves and shook hands. Shanta and Hotaru then stepped forward. "Hi, Michiru," the girl said shyly. "I'm Hotaru and this is my mom, Shanta. I really enjoyed the concert tonight, especially the Jean Sibelius piece. You were beyond amazing."

Michiru smiled warmly. "Thank you for those kind words, Hotaru…" She had reached for her pendant, trailing off as the girl made the exact same movement at the exact same time. A frown turned her lips and she glanced between the darkly-dressed pair, a spark of familiarity igniting in her memory. Where had she seen these dark guardians before? _'Guardians?'_ she then questioned, for it was an odd word choice.

"Are we still going back to my place for celebratory drinks?" Matthew inquired, ending the awkward silence.

"Yes, of course," Michiru answered, shaking her head a little. "Haruka, Shanta, Hotaru, I would be pleased if you'd join us."

So it was that the three women ended up trailing a limousine into the heart of the city, where Matthew's family's penthouse was located. "Must like showing off his wealth," Haruka muttered from the front seat, where Hotaru insisted she sit.

"Not really, his parents are out of town," the girl piped up. "Matt was hoping to impress Michiru because he thought they could be more than friends, but now he thinks she's a lesbian." Shanta made a sound of disapproval at her daughter's mind-reading.

Haruka barked a laugh. "He's half right since she's bi."

"Are you?" Hotaru asked bluntly.

"...I don't think so," she answered after a moment's hesitation. "I know I have a female body, but I don't always _feel_ like one, if that makes sense."

"There's nothing wrong with ignoring society's pre-determined gender roles and being whoever the hell you want to be."

Haruka laughed again, Shanta scolded the girl, and then a truck barged into the intersection, ramming the limo and pushing all the way to the opposite street, trapping it between the brush guard and a light post. Shanta brought her car to a sudden stop as all three occupants sat and stared at the collision, unsure if it had actually happened.

The driver of the pickup stepped down; it was a woman wearing a dark blue jacket, leather pants and knee-high boots. They were too far away to discern her facial features, but they were able to see the long, curved swords on her back. She approached the crushed side of the limo, effortlessly ripping the door off and flinging it away, revealing the terrified forms of Michiru and Samuel. Matthew appeared to be unconscious.

"Get out, get out, get OUT!" Hotaru shouted, beating Haruka and her mother's shoulders with her petite hands. Forgetting her crutches, Haruka stumbled from the car, clinging to the side for support. As she leaned across the hood, wincing in pain, the sword-bearing woman lifted Michiru out of the limo and held her in the air like a rag doll.

"Let go of me!" the violinist cried, clawing at the hands with her long nails.

The woman only sneered up at her. "I don't think so, Thalassa. You were lucky to escape my minion before, but that _witch_ isn't around to save you now. This time, I'm going to make sure you die."


	19. Fallen Tides

**Chapter Nineteen: Fallen Tides**

The hand tightened around Michiru's neck, cutting off her air supply. She no longer thought about why this was even happening; she just wanted to live, and to do that she had to fight back. She began by kicking wildly, successfully striking the side of her captor's knee. The woman cried out, released her, and stumbled away. Michiru landed awkwardly in her heels but never took her eyes off her attacker.

"_There's_ the look I was hoping for," the woman said, "but I can tell your strength is only a fraction of what it used to be. Without it you don't have a chance at survival!"

"Why don't you quit taunting me and tell me who you are?" Michiru demanded.

The woman's eyes widened while her pupils constricted, turning her countenance even more maniacal. She drew herself up and unsheathed the swords, gripping one in each hand. "My name is Salacia, and these blades are going to ensure you never forget it." In the next instant she dashed forward, weapons raised to slice Michiru in two.

"Nooo!" Hotaru cried, reaching a hand toward the virtuoso. She was not expecting Salacia to suddenly slow down, hardly moving faster than a tortoise, until she halted altogether, posed like some kind of dynamic statue. Shanta and Haruka stared in disbelief while Hotaru could only ogle at her outspread fingers.

"Members of the Outer Alliance!" Everyone glanced around to find the source of the high, clear voice. A small black shape approached from the opposite side of the intersection, a cat that ran right up to Hotaru and placed its paws on her leg. "I'm glad to see you've finally awakened, but I wish it had been under different circumstances! Michiru, could you come here?"

"L… _Luna?_" she gawked. "You… you're speaking! Unless I'm dreaming or something!"

The cat bobbed her head. "Yes, I can speak. And you are regretfully not dreaming. Salacia really will kill you unless you heed my instructions." Luna leaped onto the hood of Shanta's car where she sat primly. "Now then, I believe each of you has a gemstone pendant in your possession, yes?" The four women reflexively touched them. "This is your fight, Michiru, but it will be good for the rest of you to get accustomed to your warrior forms. What you do is say the name of your planet followed by 'Millennium Power, Make Up'. Give it a try."

"Our planets?" Shanta repeated. "How do we determine them?"

"They are designated by your Zodiac signs," Luna answered.

She looked down at the round black opal glittering on her chest, then closed her eyes. "Pluto Millennium Power, Make Up," she said evenly. Shanta was not expecting her necklace to swell with energy that surged through her veins and wrapped her in a protective auric layer. A feeling of dread began to well up but she embraced it, knowing this was how her enemies felt when they gazed upon her. Clad in titanium armor as black as night, the train of her crimson battle dress sweeping across the ground like a wave of blood, she presented a truly terrifying sight to the denizens of the Dark Cloud.

"Mom, you… changed," Hotaru said in awe. "You look kind of like Kali!"

Although unadorned with the goddess' garland, Shanta's jewelry did indeed feature skull motifs. She wore a belt of enameled hands forming the mudras for "fear not", and her own fingers were wrapped around a trishula, or trident, taller than she. "My skin hasn't turned blue," Shanta lightly remarked.

Hotaru's transformation was next; she shouted "Saturn Millennium Power, Make Up!" with much exuberance. The rush of energy made her giddy at first, but once it died down seriousness settled into her features as she trained her dark, emotionless eyes on Salacia. Hotaru was considered the puppet master among the planetary guardians; Time was the strings connected to her fingers. She could make someone dance into the past or skip into the future, or simply suspend them indefinitely as the world continued to whirl around them.

She held out a hand toward Haruka and wiggled her fingers. "What are you doing?" the blonde asked, gasping as the sharpest of pains lanced through her and her broken bones fused with an audible grinding sound. Haruka took several deep, recovering breaths before tapping her cast, then gave it a harder whack. "You healed me?"

"Child's play," Hotaru answered, shrugging.

Haruka rested weight on her leg. It didn't hurt at all, but she couldn't exactly rip the cast off. And if she went to the hospital to have it removed they'd ask how she healed so quickly. Putting those worries aside for now, she gripped her pendant in one hand and intoned "Uranus Millennium Power, Make Up" with much more reservation than Shanta or Hotaru. Wind blasted her, almost knocking her over, but she held her ground until it calmed and swirled playfully around her arms and legs. She opened her eyes to see that she had donned an etched platinum breastplate over a simple tabard and leggings. She wore sky blue thigh-length boots and matching long gloves, and her limbs were protected by articulated armor.

"It is your turn," Luna said to the last young woman. "Are you prepared to embrace your destiny?"

"I thought it was just to become a world-renowned violin player…" Michiru muttered. Couldn't they just leave the scene, contact the police and have the woman arrested? A little voice told her that Salacia would just keep hunting her down, stalking her through the streets of Seattle until trapping her in the shadows beneath some viaduct. _'And then she'd do to me what she did to our apartment…'_ Dismissing that image, Michiru placed her hands on her chest and said in a strong, clear voice, "Neptune Millennium Power, Make Up!"

At first she didn't feel anything while the other three stared at her expectantly. She then gasped as she was yanked down into a cold, dark void. The pressure increased, hurting her ears, and then she was suddenly free, gasping for air. Her outfit seemed very impractical compared to the others– she wore a teal chiffon high-low dress and macramé barefoot sandals. Spiraling white-gold armlets went all the way from her wrists to her shoulders. There was a crochet wrap around her hips with dangling seashells, pearls and glass beads in varying hues. Atop her head sat a spiked coral crown featuring the pear-cut aquamarine gemstone.

"Are you ready?" Hotaru asked, hands poised toward Salacia.

"I don't even know how to fight her!" Michiru said a bit helplessly. But that wasn't true; there was a faint tugging sensation around her feet, like waves lapping at them as she stood on the shore. She could hear the ocean despite being several blocks from it. In this form she had complete mastery over the water and could command it just like a conductor of an orchestra. She nodded and Hotaru flicked her wrist, removing Salacia from stasis. Michiru flexed her fingers as the woman crashed into the limo, glancing around furiously. Then her eyes landed on the violinist and she smirked.

"It's been a long time since I've seen you like that, Thalassa. I hope this means you're prepared to die with some dignity."

"I don't remember you gloating so much, Salacia," she returned. The swordswoman stalked toward her but leaped back when the manhole cover in the intersection flew off, gushing water. Whatever Michiru envisioned became reality; her seawater obeyed by forming a column and striking Salacia in the chest, throwing her into a building. The woman sputtered, flung her wet hair off her face and snarled, dashing forward yet again. But her swords were angled differently, and Michiru wasn't expecting a white crescent to come flying at her. She was slow to dodge it and got hit in the side, the impact making her cry out. Yet as she was struck the crescent shattered, scattering across the ground to where her allies stood.

"Is that salt?" Haruka knelt to pick up a few granules and, after a moment's hesitation, put one on her tongue. "It's sea salt!" she confirmed.

"Salacia is the Roman name for the goddess of the sea," Luna stated. "She is Thalassa's destined rival, one she never finished off because of the guardians that defeated Tartarus at the end of the Silver Era."

Haruka was about to say that didn't make any sense, but it did, much to her surprise. She remembered watching the arrival of the dark planet and regretting the fact that she had renounced her elemental powers. She'd done it as a show of good faith, to prove that the bloodshed was finally over, and the other members of the Outer Alliance had done the same. Everyone on Terra watched as the dark planet slowly blotted out the Sun, but then it suddenly vanished without an explanation. "Luna, who were the guardians that fended off Tartarus?"

"I'll tell you when we've gathered with the others."

Haruka sighed impatiently and resumed surveying the fight. Michiru certainly looked very beautiful in her breezy ensemble, and her hair had even turned aqua in color. Her graceful movements opposed Salacia's brusqueness, and there was no doubt that Michiru would prove victorious. She was quickly adjusting to the rhythm of battle, learning to read her opponent's body, predicting her offense and counterattacking appropriately. Salacia's wet blades flung water droplets everywhere, occasionally spattering the three guardians on the sidelines. An idea occurred to Haruka.

"Moira, do you think you could accelerate time around those swords and make them rusty?"

The girl in violet raised an intrigued eyebrow. "As simple as that would be, I don't want to interfere any more. Thalassa is regaining much of her magical prowess, relearning how to manipulate the forces under her dominion."

"Well _you_ certainly sound like your old self," Haruka muttered. Her own name used to be Aura, and she could command the winds to do her bidding. Certain weather phenomena fell to her as well– squalls, hurricanes, tornadoes and cyclones had decimated many enemy ranks, tossing them away like mere toys. All the planetary guardians save Moira, Cora (Shanta's Silver Era identity) and Selene controlled tangible elements. Haruka found it odd that she could recall such facts.

Michiru was tired of toying with her foe. She directed the fountain of water to form a sphere around Salacia, who tried to slice through it, but a hard barrier of coral on the inside negated each slash. In no time at all the woman was encapsulated except for a tiny opening at the top. Michiru poured more ice-cold liquid into it, slowly replacing Salacia's air supply. She could hear the woman choking and gasping, pounding on the sphere with her fists in an attempt to break it open, screaming at the fact that Thalassa had defeated her after a millennium of dormancy. Finally Salacia stopped moving, her eyes frozen open, and Michiru willed the saltwater to return to the Puget Sound. Her would-be murderer was now a pale, waterlogged corpse lying in the intersection.

* * *

"Jeez, could that movie have been any longer?" Makoto groaned while exiting the IMAX theater. She stretched and yawned, then placed her hands on her hips. "I _hate_ sitting in one place for so long. I need to run!"

"At least it was a good movie," Ami said. "I thought it was very logical."

"And the cinematography was great," Zach added.

"Even the secondary characters were developed."

"The plot had some really good twists."

"Okay you nerds," Joe cut in, "we _all_ thought it was a good movie. But I think it's safe to say that Makoto isn't the only one feeling a little restless. The night's still young, so what do we want to do?"

"We could go dancing or something," Nicholas suggested. Zach whooped his approval.

Rei shook her head. "Where would we go? The four of us are too young to drink, and you two are too old for Kaelan's club."

Zach held up a finger. "That's true, but all he has to do is tell them to let us in. No one's gonna say no to the co-owner."

So it was that they ended up in a VIP booth at Club Trillium. Kaelan even offered to cover all the food and drinks they consumed that night. One Matt Lange was guest DJing on the main stage; the sound was deep, dark and melodic, too moody for Makoto and Nicholas' taste, so they headed to the basement for some high-energy drum 'n bass.

Nicholas was secretly thrilled that everyone agreed to come here. Ever since the Halloween party he'd been praying for another opportunity to dance with Makoto. She was such a reactive person; even though she and Usagi had the same style, Makoto was better at improvisation because she really let the music infuse her and tell her body how to move. There was nothing more attractive to him than watching a girl get swept up by a good rhythm.

At the moment they were commanded by a growling two-step. The wooden floor vibrated with each stomp as individual groups moved in different directions, forming a human kaleidoscope when viewed from the DJ podium. The man there loved his job, loved orchestrating the huge crowd of people who were ordinarily strangers to one another but all had one thing in common at this moment: his music.

The next track faded in, something with a slower tempo and languid ethnic drum. As Makoto slowed her para-para steps, Nicholas stopped entirely and just watched her. "What's wrong?" she wondered. It had been fun dancing beside him, trying to keep up with his kwaito footwork while grinning and laughing the whole time.

"Can I dance with you?" Nicholas asked in a low voice.

Makoto answered with a question of her own. "Isn't that what we've been doing?"

He shook his head and moved to stand behind her, placing his hands on her waist. "I meant like this. If you'd rather not…"

"It's fine, this is fine," Makoto interjected. All of sudden her skin was tingling and her nerves were on high alert. There was still space between them, barely, and she was hyperaware of the fact that his little fingers were right on the hem of her shirt. It was a clingy top that had risen as she danced, leaving a good two-inch gap above her jeans. She wasn't yet certain if she wanted Nicholas' hands on her bare skin, but the thought thrilled her.

The song continued to weave its spell over the crowd; Makoto tried not to fall victim to it as Nicholas gave in. He closed his eyes, widened his stance a little, and slowly pulled the girl into him. She stopped shifting all her weight from side to side and only moved her hips. He moved perfectly in sync with her, mesmerizing her, nearly banishing all her senses save the power of touch, but before that could happen there was a transition to a new song. The beat was a little faster and harder but the melody was just as sinuous. Nicholas transferred his hands to her hips, his grip tightening so he could feel every movement no matter how faint. Makoto leaned into him even more and felt his heart beating ever-so-slightly out of time with the music.

They stayed like that through the next song and the one after; however, the track that followed immediately ramped up the energy in the room and set everyone back to bouncing on their toes. When Nicholas released Makoto she faced him to search his expression, receiving only a Heath Ledger-in-_10-Things-I-Hate-About-You_ kind of grin, one that didn't hold a hint of seriousness. "I'm going to get something to drink!" she shouted, receiving a nod of acknowledgement. Of course Nicholas was going to stay and keep dancing; it was silly of her to think he'd follow.

_'Jeez, what's wrong with me? One dance and I turn into jelly? That's not who I am.'_ Makoto took another swig of her mocktail and twisted from side to side on the barstool. Try as she might, she just couldn't deny that Nicholas was a great dancer and it felt good to be his partner. The way he held her made her feel sexy. She wouldn't mind at all if his fingers wandered up her shirt, or if they wandered into her jeans she would only mind if he didn't know what he was doing… _'Get your mind out of the gutter, girl!'_ She buried her face in her hands so no one would see how red her cheeks were. _'He's hot, okay? That doesn't mean you need to do something stupid like hook up with him. Even though Michiru has her concert and Usagi said she'd probably be back tomorrow…'_

She hated to admit that Usagi, Zach and probably all the rest of their friends were right: they _did_ share common interests in cooking and exercise, but that was where the similarities ended. Nicholas could weather negativity with ease and let things roll right off him. He seemed perpetually upbeat and it was clear that spending time with his friends was a great source of joy for him. His positive outlook turned him into a giant social magnet that attracted all kinds of people, infecting them with happiness and confidence in turn. He thought of cooking as a way to connect with others, to establish the sense of community he left in South Africa.

Makoto had weathered most of her life on her own, and the only other person who knew what that felt like was Mamoru. Therefore, community didn't matter to her. She begrudgingly harbored a sense of resentment for her peers and their normal lives; she knew it wasn't their fault that they had families, but it was human nature to want what others had. There was never anyone to share the joys of her success with, never anyone to help her overcome setbacks. Everything she had achieved had been accomplished by her singular hard work and determination. She only learned to cook out of necessity, only exercised because she didn't have other hobbies– she couldn't afford them. After all this time, she didn't trust anyone enough to surrender some of the responsibility of taking care of herself.

That didn't stop Makoto from fantasizing, though. She dreamed about being served breakfast in bed by a handsome, doting boyfriend who would even clean up after himself in the kitchen. She dreamed about coming home from work and taking a long, relaxing bath, an impossible vision since the apartment she currently shared with two other girls didn't even have a tub. She dreamed about picnics in fruit orchards, weekend getaways, being surprised with spontaneous gifts and creating her own wedding cake. All of those things were viable options for the future, but Makoto kept her sights firmly on the here and now.

_'Maybe that's what's holding me back,'_ she mused, still sipping the fruity mocktail. _'Maybe I need to stop playing it so safely and just leap into something unexpected… like being with Nicholas.'_ But, jeez, her last relationship had been almost three years ago. Motoki was a nice-enough guy, just a little on the boring side (and she hadn't admitted it at the time, but he actually had more in common with Usagi than her). Dating Nicholas would be _nothing_ like that; they'd always have things to do and places to go. Just imagine all the recipes they could try together!

_'Girl, you're getting ahead of yourself. First you have to ask him if he even wants to be your boyfriend!'_ The notion of putting herself in a position to be rejected was a little bit frightening, but Makoto was ninety-percent certain that Nicholas reciprocated her feelings. She was pretty sure their attraction was mutual, so at the very least she might get to kiss him. He had nice full lips so he was probably a _really_ good kisser. At that thought Makoto rose to her feet. If she fantasized any more she wouldn't be able to look at him without blushing profusely, much less manage to talk to him.

* * *

"Hey, I'm kinda tired. Would you mind walking me home?" Of course he didn't mind. Nicholas was actually grateful to get out of the club and have a conversation with Makoto as they wandered along the dark, quiet waterfront.

"Do you want to come in for some cocoa or cider? I also made cookies." A hot beverage was just what Nicholas needed after the cold walk. Once he had warmed up he'd call Zach and let him know where he was.

"Nicholas, I have something to tell you…" Makoto gently plucked the mug from his grasp and set it on the coffee table. She then placed her hands in her lap, staring at them, eyes hiding behind side-swept bangs. He didn't say anything, the seriousness in her tone made him nervous. Then Makoto looked up, fixating his brown eyes with her vibrant green ones. They held nervousness as well, but there was also a hint of excitement. Since it wasn't bad news the boy released the breath he had withheld.

"Listen, I really…" The pause was quite long. "I really like you, okay?" Her next words came out a little disjointed. "You're such a great guy and… I really like spending time with you. I think you're one of the nicest people I've met here… I never thanked you for helping me when I twisted my ankle, I'm sorry I was so stubborn and ungrateful. And I never really thanked you for letting Usagi, Michiru and me stay with you guys. And I want to thank you now for walking home with me when it's so late."

Nicholas put a hand on her fidgeting fingers. "You don't have to tell me– I see the gratitude in your eyes. And the fact that you still want to hang out with me lets me know that I haven't pissed you off too much."

She laughed a little. "You never have, Nikko… I'm sorry I act like you do. I guess 'bitchy' is my default reaction to everything, but I don't want to be that way any more. I just want to smile and be _happy_ for once." Makoto blushed and tried to hide her eyes again, but Nicholas moved his hand to her cheek. He didn't lift her chin or force her to look at him, just let her feel the warmth of his palm, the kindness and gentleness of his touch. Now the girl was certain that this was exactly what she needed.

"You think _I_ can make you happy?" he asked evenly. It took every ounce of self-control for him to remain seated and not go leaping through the air like a love-struck lunatic. For a while now Nicholas wanted to let Makoto know that he had romantic feelings for her, but he couldn't find the courage. He was thrilled that she had.

Makoto nodded. "I really hope so". She searched his expression, wishing that any hint of what he was thinking would show on his face. Then she realized that it was slowly drawing closer, that Nicholas was coming in for a kiss, so she leaned forward a little to close the gap, closed her eyes…

And then jumped as his phone jingled with a text. Nicholas snatched it up, glared at the message and sighed. "Everyone's waiting outside. Guess that means I have to go." He regretfully rose to his feet. Makoto followed, still holding his hand.

"That's all right. I'm not going anywhere for Christmas so I'll be here… Hey, we could go shopping together! You can help me pick out gifts for the guys."

"That sounds fun," Nicholas agreed. He wanted to say that he'd do anything she asked if it meant they could be together. He also really didn't want to leave now, to abandon the cozy apartment they had all to themselves. It smelled like cocoa and apple crisp and fresh-baked cookies… it smelled like _home_. He paused with his hand on the doorknob to look over his shoulder. Makoto sat on the edge of the dining table, arms wrapped around herself, watching him leave with evident longing. _'Kiss her kiss her kiss her'_ went his rapid-fire thoughts, but Nicholas stifled them. If he did that now it'd be bittersweet and wouldn't make Makoto happy. "Next time, definitely," he said aloud. "Goodnight, Makoto. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Goodnight, Nicholas." After the door closed she said, "Tomorrow can't come soon enough."


	20. Beautiful Together

**Chapter Twenty: Beautiful Together**

"Hey!" Kaelan shouted, "Someone help me decorate this damn tree!" He had spent the last twenty minutes maneuvering it inside by himself and was more than a little cranky.

Mamoru and Nicholas answered his summon, the former coming from the pool where he had been swimming laps. He wore a towel around his neck, sweatpants, and no shirt. "That a little ab I see?" Nicholas asked, poking his long torso.

"You don't get abs after working out for a week," Mamoru said, swatting the hand away.

"You can if you take steroids while doing P90X."

Kaelan smirked. "That explains why you're all brawn and no brain. Now get to work." Nicholas shot him a narrow look before placing delicate glass globes and icicles on the higher branches, but given that it was a twelve-foot tree they would need a step ladder to finish the decorations.

For Mamoru, it was a bit odd going through the holiday rituals with other people since he'd celebrated Christmas by himself for as long as he could remember. It wasn't even an occasion that warranted a face-to-face encounter with the Benefactor, though in the years before high school he had received gifts outside his door. Once moved into his own apartment they came in the mail, usually something simple like a book.

He was shocked when his housemates actually approached him and asked what he wanted for Christmas. Mamoru didn't really _want_ anything so he offered a list of practical things to get, such as ink for his printer and a sturdy new binder. In the following days presents had amalgamated on the great room's couches; now they could be placed beneath the tree, and not a day too early because it was December 22.

The tree had been cut down on Kaelan's two-acre lot and trimmed by Joe, who was deeply disappointed that he didn't have the money to spend Christmas with his parents. He opted to take the shifts his fellow employees requested off and was working a minimum of twelve hours a day, subsisting on coffee and muffins from the back room and whatever small meals he could finish during his lunch break. Since his employer refused to let him work the 24th or 25th, he gratefully slept in.

Nicholas awoke just after six on Christmas morning. He got out of bed in his seasonal Santa boxers, tiptoeing down the stairs. Multicolored lights on the tree illuminated the stairs and had actually been the cause of an argument between him and Kaelan, who believed white lights were the "proper" color. Nicholas won by saying the rainbow lights better represented their diverse household. He peeked into his stocking to discover a bottle of Amarula and various food-related gifts. In the toe was a chocolate orange that he decided to have for breakfast, sucking on a wedge as he went to the kitchen to prepare a few of the dishes for tonight's dinner.

Mamoru came down a bit later, removing each stocking from the mantle before lighting a fire in the hearth. He went to the window and was surprised to see it had snowed. Nicholas came to stand beside him, offering a mug of hot cocoa. "I'd never seen snow until coming here," he stated. "It makes the world seem cleaner than it really is." Mamoru nodded in agreement before sitting down to rummage through his stocking. The most useful thing he received was a pack of styluses since he was always losing them. He also found a mini desktop Zen garden and meticulously set it up while the sun slowly rose. He then got dressed and grabbed Joe's keys, heading out to fulfill the task Usagi had charged him with.

Kaelan was up when he returned. The three of them made small-talk until Joe finally came downstairs, yawning as he wished everyone a merry Christmas. He perked up considerably when he noticed how much it had snowed. After breakfast he went outside to shovel the walkway, then the driveway, then ended up attaching the neighbor's plow to the front of Frankie and clearing the roads. "He needs to rest," Kaelan remarked, shaking his head. "It's like he's addicted to work."

Nicholas agreed. "Guy's gonna burn himself out before he hits thirty."

"I think we all need a vacation," Mamoru added. "Someplace bright and warm like Hawaii."

"Hawaii might be doable…" the grey-eyed boy muttered, unheard by his roommates. He retreated to his room to begin planning.

* * *

Makoto awoke to Luna's excited meowing at approximately 9:15. She had gone to bed around midnight after finishing her desserts and taking a celebratory swig of sake. "See you in the morning, Santa," she said, but it was more of an exhausted goodnight than wishful thinking. Despite this, Makoto froze when she saw a circle of presents beneath the little tree on the coffee table. She approached them cautiously and examined the gift tags. Some were from Michiru, some from Usagi, but most of them said "from Santa". Was that why Luna was meowing? Was she alerting Makoto to the presence of an intruder?

She scoured the apartment yet found no evidence of a stranger, then cautiously went through her stocking. The wrapping paper did not match the kind Usagi and Michiru had used and the writing on the tags didn't belong to them, either. There were, in fact, five different styles, and when Makoto realized this she laughed in relief. Of _course_ her friends had gotten the boys to sign the tags! Very clever of them.

Within her stocking were makeup freebies from Nordstrom, hair ties (which she was always losing or breaking), a new case for her phone, a sampler box of tea, two gift cards to her favorite deli, several bottles of nail polish, and a pair of hand-knitted fingerless mittens. They were cream and mint-colored, and Makoto wore them while unwrapping the rest of her presents. One box was labeled "to Luna". After a thorough sniffing she jumped inside and started rustling around, obviously finding something to play with. It toppled over and a plethora of catnip-infused mice and feather toys spilled out, ensuring Luna would be in kitty heaven for the rest of the day.

Most of Makoto's presents were cooking-related but there were a few unexpected gifts such as a set of sparring gloves and instep guards, a pair of boots from Aldo, ten camisoles in assorted styles (her wardrobe staple), and a new leather wallet. She hugged the shoebox to prevent herself from tearing up. She never expected to receive such thoughtful gifts, and the only way this Christmas could have been better was if she had accepted Nicholas' offer to stay over with him. But that would have gone against her better judgement; they'd only been an official couple for a week, and Makoto didn't want things to escalate so quickly that their relationship fizzled and died in an instant. There was plenty of time to ease into bed with him.

Dismissing that thought, which was becoming increasingly difficult, she took a shower, got dressed, and set to work finishing the dessert everyone would enjoy after dinner.

* * *

"It feels strange with just the six of us here," Rei commented while setting the table. "I keep expecting to laugh at something Usagi said."

"Or hear Zach critique Nikko's cooking," Makoto agreed.

"Or watch Mina flirt with everyone after drinking wine," Mamoru said.

"Or have Ami telling us to arrange everything perfectly," Joe added. "It's just not the same without them."

"There's always next year," Kaelan spoke upon entering the dining room. This was the first time it had been used; he spent a good hour dusting the wooden table and chairs before decorating it with a festive runner, evergreen boughs and candles. There was a Yule log burning in the fireplace, a piece of which he intended to save for next year. He didn't sit at the head of the table because that would have thrown off the symmetry of their arrangement; he shared one side with Makoto and Nicholas while Mamoru, Rei and Joe were on the other. Everyone stared at him expectantly, waiting for some kind of grace to be said.

"The land may be cold, the sea stormy and the skies grey, but today our family is gathered, keeping warm in the midst of darkness. The love we share burns brightly, a beacon of hope in the seemingly endless night. Together we will make it through another year."

"Amen," Joe murmured, the others echoing him. Kaelan's blessing was one they could all appreciate despite their varying faiths. Christian, Catholic, Buddhist, Shinto, Pagan and Agnostic. Whatever the time of year meant to them, they were all simply grateful to spend it with people they cared for, and the ones separated by miles of land and sea were prominent in their thoughts.

* * *

As could be expected, Rei and Joe were the last two awake. It took several hours of conversation, gift exchanging and alcohol consumption before everyone went to dream of sugarplums. They sat on the couch sipping Mrs. Levin's famous cider while watching the Yule log burn. Around Rei's wrist was a bracelet of sterling silver, garnet and onyx that Joe had made in a metallurgy workshop. From her he received a personalized giftset of essential oils, incense and cologne. Everything had woody, outdoorsy scents, and he lifted the collar of his shirt to inhale the fragrance yet again. "I can't get over how good this smells, Rei. I know cologne is supposed to attract others, but I'm genuinely attracted to myself."

She laughed. "I'm glad you like it so much."

"And you like your bracelet, right?" he asked, suddenly unsure.

"I _know_ that you know black and red are my favorite colors, Joseph," she chastised. "These stones are beautiful."

"Even though they're just chips?"

Rei nodded. "I love that you made this for me with your own hands."

"Good, I'm glad." They grinned at one another for a moment, then Joe sighed and let his head drop back. He was completely exhausted after ingesting so much rich food but he refused to leave Rei's side. Since late-night conversations were their specialty, he wasn't about to break tradition on Christmas of all days. "Would you consider us best friends?" he inquired. Rei simply nodded again. "Why do you think we get along so well?"

"Does there need to be a reason?" she returned. "Some people just connect… Sometimes a soul just recognizes one it wants to be with. It can be a platonic or romantic attraction. I believe souls seek out others who compliment certain aspects of their existence." Rei twisted one of the beads on her bracelet. "I think I was initially attracted to you because you made me feel safe. You're a constant in a world that continually changes, a tangible aspect in my spiritual realm. I can trust you to always be there."

Joe started a little as her hand fell upon his, then shivered when he met her intense gaze. He couldn't describe the way Rei was looking at him; none of the words in his vocabulary seemed appropriate. "You've done a lot for me in the short time we've known one another. Your offer to listen probably seemed insignificant to you, but I'm so grateful for it. There's something I want to offer you now, but I don't want you to feel like I'm doing it out of obligation. I've been considering this for a long time."

"Okay…" Joe answered, swallowing nervously. "What is it?"

Rei took a deep breath. "There is a Taoist practice called _fángzhōngshù_. It's a method of transferring the energy of one person to another to bolster their life force, thus improving their health. I'm bringing it up because I've noticed how… depleted you are. You've been working too hard, Joseph." She said this in an admonishing tone that made him lower his head. "You can't keep pushing your body beyond its limits."

"I… I know," he said remorsefully. "I just focused on work because I was disappointed that I didn't have the money to fly home. I thought it would keep my mind off it… I guess I ended up burning myself out." He sighed and squared his shoulders. "So what exactly does _fángzhōngshù _entail?"

"As I said, it's a method we could use to transfer some of my energy to you. We do this through intercourse."

His expression immediately fell. "Wait, what? You mean… _sex?_" Rei's head bobbed and Joe leaped to his feet, pacing to and fro while his whole head caught fire. That three-letter word melted his brain into a disorganized blob; as soon as he formed one question ten more took its place. _'How can she calmly propose such a thing? I thought we were just friends! How long has she been thinking about this? Does she really think it'll work? Does she know I'm a virgin?'_

Joe focused on that last one. He didn't go around advertising the fact that he was twenty-two year-old virgin because he knew most people would ridicule him. Sex was a rite of passage to manliness for many people of the world, but as a devout Catholic he had pledged to save himself until marriage or at least real, true love. He had never fallen in love with anyone, though. He came to an abrupt stop facing Rei. "Are you a virgin?"

"No," she answered simply, "but there's no concept of virginity in spiritual matters. It's a word that Abrahamic religions stole from the Greek notion of a woman who belonged to herself instead of a man. They twisted it to mean 'pure' and 'untouched', shaming women who experienced sexual pleasure. Even later Taoist texts describe ways a man can 'steal' a woman's energy instead of sharing it with her."

Joe resumed pacing, slower this time. "I've just, erm… never been _intimate_ with anyone. I mean, I like women, I think you're beautiful, but I don't watch porn or… _fantasize_ about you or anything…" _'__Christ, did I really just say that?'_

Rei stood up and placed her hands on his shoulders to stop him. "I'm sorry I've made you so uncomfortable. I just wanted to let you know that this is an available option." Her countenance brightened. "There are other methods we can try, though they still involve physical contact."

Joe raised an eyebrow. "Why didn't you suggest those first?"

"Because they're still preludes to sexual energy exchange."

The boy cringed every time she said "sex"– it rolled off her tongue so matter-of-factly, like it was a casual activity such as walking or reading. Wasn't Rei the least bit apprehensive about this? Which of them would be on top, anyway? These questions made him feel flushed, dizzy and embarrassed, so he sat down on the couch to steady himself. Rei faced the fire and Joe found his eyes tracing her silhouette, gliding down her slender waist and legs. He'd never even imagined what she looked like without clothes on, so it was almost impossible to consider having sex with her.

* * *

That slowly changed over the course of the week leading up to New Year's. Joe maintained fourteen-hour workdays, dealing with post-Christmas customers for most of them followed by receiving and inventory. He lost track of how many car parts he handed out, how many specialty tools he told people how to use, how many trips he made between stores, how many lunch breaks he spent napping instead of eating. Once he almost passed out while telling a customer how to change their spark plugs, but luckily a coworker slapped him on the back and woke him up. There were more than a few occasions where he fell asleep in Frankie for a couple hours before heading home. The one thing he absolutely refused to do was doze off while driving.

Joe hit his bed like a ton of bricks and woke up stiff as a board, his muscles protesting as they went another day without proper rest or nourishment. _'How can Rei undo this damage?'_ he wondered one night. _'How can she heal me?'_ In place of the nightmares he'd grown used to having, he dreamed about her. They stood face-to-face in a darkened room. He wore a pale green tunic and white pants, and Rei wore a rich red gown that shimmered like a gem in the dim lighting. She reached out to slowly run a hand down his chest, the tunic scattering like flower petals at her touch. Her eyes languidly took in his physique. She stepped forward to embrace him, her gown dissipating as soon as he returned the hold.

They moved to the floor, or whatever lay beneath their feet. Joe saw red waves rippling around him but couldn't actually focus on them. He was more interested in Rei's lips anyway, kissing them tentatively and running a hand down to her waist. She arched at his touch, pressing against him, making his hand follow the curve of her back. He awoke with a startled gasp, his body in a dead sweat and his blankets damp. He sat for a moment to gather his bearings, waiting for his heart to stop pounding, then opened his laptop to search for dream interpretations. Obviously his subconscious was telling him that he was ready to be intimate with Rei… but she was his friend. He didn't _need_ to sleep with her just because they were close.

And what if it ruined the relationship they already had? _'It's not like we'd really be hooking up, though…'_ he mused. _'It wouldn't be for pleasure. I'm broken and she wants to fix me. She'd be practicing something she learned. It's just business.'_ Joe then researched _fángzhōngshù _and found that it translated to "the bedroom arts", which made him nervous all over again. After a few hours he closed his laptop, took his bedding to the washer and grabbed fresh sheets to sleep on. As an afterthought he stripped off his pajamas, getting used to the sensation of being so exposed. It wasn't that he was ashamed of his body, he just didn't want Rei to see how badly he had neglected to take care of it.

A few days later, after getting off work a couple hours early, Joe drove to Rei's apartment. He sat in his rig for a good five minutes, gripping the steering wheel while his mind whirled about whether or not he really had the courage to go through with this. _'Man up,'_ he told himself. _'This is the stupidest thing to be afraid of.'_ It was still perfectly reasonable to be anxious about his first time, though. He finally knocked on her door.

Rei smiled warmly upon seeing him. "Joseph, please come in." She waited while he hung his coat and removed his snow-covered boots. "Would you like something to drink? Tea?" He could only nod, too skittish to form words, while taking in his surroundings. The amount of books she had drowned out the rest of her furniture, which had a rustic look to it. All he saw were floor-to-ceiling shelves crammed with volumes thick and thin.

"Have you really read all these?" he asked in awe.

"Yes," Rei replied, "some more than once. Each contains at least one valuable piece of information."

"Why didn't you just write it down instead of keeping the whole book?"

She handed him a mug of vanilla chai, shrugging. "The information changes each time. I interpret the text a different way based on what I've learned since my first read."

Joe nodded absently and downed the tea more quickly than he would have liked. Rei too set her cup down, tilting her head. "You're afraid."

"It's just that I've never done anything like this before," he managed without stammering.

"Which is why we'll ease into it– it's a long process that will probably take a few hours." She took their mugs to the sink, then returned for Joe's hand, leading him to her bedroom. To prevent himself from shaking he focused on the décor, noting various energy charts, statues, crystals and still more books, plus a shelf of bottles he assumed were essential oils. Rei lit a cone of incense and placed it in an ornate burner. "Clary sage is a mild aphrodisiac," she explained, then indicated her bed. "Please take off your clothes and lie down."

"All of them?" the boy asked.

"Whatever you feel comfortable with." She turned around as he shed his socks, khakis, work polo and undershirt. Joe held his breath while easing onto the mattress, releasing it through his mouth once he had settled. It was very comfy, possibly memory foam, but he didn't want to ask. He stared at the ceiling as Rei undressed, not even hesitating to remove her bra and underwear before coming to lie beside him.

"You're… naked," Joe remarked.

"We only wear clothes for protection. At this moment there is nothing I need to protect myself from." She slipped her hand into his, holding it loosely. "I would like you to grow accustomed to my presence by concentrating on this connection. Find my pulse and focus on it. Take long, steady breaths and try not to move around or speak."

"Okay…" the boy whispered. He admired how composed she sounded, how easy this was for her. Rei was a lot stronger than him spiritually; his muscle mass counted for naught in these matters. Joe tried to let that strength infuse him, absorb her courage, tell himself there was absolutely nothing to be afraid of. In fact, he should be grateful to have someone in his life who cared about the current state of his soul and not just what would happen to it when he died.

After several silent minutes Rei began to feel his fingers twitch and his palm rhythmically press against her own. Now that their pulses were in sync it was time for the next step. "Very good, Joseph," she said quietly. "Now turn toward me." She was glad to see that the fear had left his eyes; he looked relaxed, almost sleepy, but there was curiosity in his green depths. "This might be a little tricky. Let me lie on your right arm and put your left wherever it will stay." Joe draped it over her waist, then Rei moved around until her hands were free and their legs intertwined.

"I feel like I'm smothering you," he said.

"I'll be fine. Just relax and keep concentrating on us. Keep taking those steady breaths. Feel my body in relation to yours." No sooner had she said that than Joe shifted forward so their foreheads were touching. He closed his eyes and appeared completely at peace. Rei also shut her eyes and paid attention to the strong heart beating in his chest, feeling it push against her palms. She could feel how tight his muscles were, feel the strain in his abdominals as his diaphragm inflated and depressed. His body didn't have the energy it needed to repair them, but that would change after all this.

Joe had no idea how much time had passed nor did he really care. He concentrated on all the sensory information his brain received and savored every passing second. Rei's skin was smooth, her hair silky, her breath sweet, her womanhood warm on his thigh. Suffice it to say he felt pretty damn good, but he knew she would make him feel even better. That notion made him aroused and he wasn't even embarrassed about it. He pulled back a little to look her in the eye. "I'm ready."

She smiled kindly. "Normally the person giving ki lies below, but since you're inexperienced…"

"I know, I'm a clueless virgin." He laughed self-depreciatingly. "Do with me what you will."

Rei frowned. "That's the wrong attitude to have about this. The goal is to climax _together_– it doesn't work if one person has more desire than the other or derives more pleasure from the act. It's probably going to be difficult for you not to feel overwhelmed and finish right away, so I'll have to exert a little control over you with my aura."

Joe gulped. "Will it hurt?"

"Only if you fight me. The best way for you to experience a total orgasm is to completely surrender. Don't hold yourself back or second-guess the way your body reacts. However, I _do_ want you to keep listening to me. Don't get so lost in the moment that you can't find your way back." She grinned down at him. "Think you can do that?"

"I'll try my best," he answered, sucking in yet another nervous breath. Joe squeezed his eyes shut and slipped out of his underwear before the last remains of his anxiety could protest. He was naked with someone for the first time in twenty-two years. It felt rather liberating and a surge of pride went through him.

He bit his lip when Rei placed her legs on either side of his waist and settled atop his tumescence. She didn't slide onto him just yet, letting him get used to the skin contact while simultaneously rousing her own sexual energy from slumber. It was called _kundalini_ in traditional yogic circles and had to rise through each of the seven chakras. Once at _sahasrara_, the crown chakra, she would reach nirvana, and if Joe managed to meet her there he could take some of her _jing_, her essence. Rei dismissed these technicalities to focus on the boy beneath her, shifting minutely to stimulate them both, listening to the way his breath had already become fast and shallow. She would have to be very careful with him.

A gasp escaped Joe when he finally entered her. The sensation nearly overloaded his brain and blew away any thoughts he had been forming like an electrical shock. "Ohh god…" he moaned, and continued to utter variations thereof with everyone forward motion of Rei's hips. This was the most amazing thing he'd ever experienced. Why was it considered a sin to feel this way? Why would anyone be sent to Hell for enjoying this? Those questions were fleeting and there was no way he could form the answers right now.

Joe recalled what Rei had told him to do and surrendered to the fire racing through his veins and the sparks crackling across his skin. Nothing in his life had prepared him for this. No one had given him the vaguest idea of what it would feel like to become part of another person. No one told him it was possible to forget everything about the world and be filled with pure, unrelenting joy. Bliss. _Ecstasy_. It didn't make sense that God had designed his body to experience this enormous amount of pleasure only to condemn him if he did. Maybe it was because he felt more and more divine each time he plunged into Rei's center, her temple, and it made sense now why they called it that. In her, he could leave the mortal world behind and become a god himself.

Rei knew their journey was almost complete. Joe continued to mutter breathlessly in his native tongue and his hands clung to her waist as he began rising to meet her, muscles tensing. "Not yet, Joseph…" she said raggedly. "Don't get lost in me."

"_Please_, Rei…" he groaned. "I can't—"

Whatever he was about to say vanished from his tongue as light exploded in his head. He drifted in an infinite ocean, going wherever the waves of the cosmos willed him. He was now liberated from all the responsibilities of Life and he was never going back. But then he ran into something that grabbed him and didn't let go, something he first tried to shake off even if it meant losing part of himself. It was a tether to the mortal realm and he was obligated to return. He had a world to heal and people to share this divine love with. Rei was there too; he had to go back to her so he could do this all over again. He couldn't get here without her.

His eyes fluttered open to see Rei gazing down at him, a tired yet serene smile turning her lips. "How do you feel?" she inquired.

Like her Joe was physically drained, but his spirit was no longer exhausted and on the verge of collapse. "A bit better… stronger," he answered.

"I'm glad. It will probably take a few more sessions until you're completely replenished, though." After a lingering look she moved off him and closed a door to what Joe assumed was the bathroom. He should probably clean up as well, but he couldn't summon the strength to move just yet. For the time being he was certain of two things:

1: He felt no regret about that fact that he wasn't a virgin any more.

2: Orgasms were amazing and he wanted to have more of them.

When Rei returned he was on the edge of slumber, but he managed to articulate something when she lay down beside him. "Is it okay if I stay here tonight?"

"Of course. I wasn't expecting you to leave. It is past midnight, after all." She threw the comforter over him and brushed his arm, soliciting a little noise.

"Rei?" the boy groaned.

"Yes?"

"Thank you. I'm glad I did this with you."

Although muttered she got the gist of it and smiled. "You're welcome, Joseph. I'll be here whenever you need me."


	21. Brilliant People

**Chapter Twenty-One: Brilliant People**

Mina felt like a supermodel as she walked through SeaTac airport. Everything on her person was new; her mother's idea of the perfect Christmas present had been spa treatments and shopping, which she certainly wasn't about to decline. She'd gotten a wavy perm, facial, manicure, pedicure, full-body massage, and lots of make-up. She had enough new clothes and shoes to fill another suitcase. After leaving the baggage claim she hopped on the Light Rail and rode it to Westlake where she glanced around for Joe's SUV. He said he would park nearby; there was five inches of snow on the ground and more currently falling, and none of the city buses were running.

She sighed, watching her breath escape as a white puff that lingered in the dense air. Westlake was normally one of the busiest shopping areas but right now it was practically abandoned. There was one couple walking arm-in-arm along the cobblestone street, their murmurings barely reaching Mina's ears. She shuddered in the silence; separated from both her family and friends, she felt truly alone. Since Ami and Usagi were flying in tomorrow, maybe she could stay with Makoto for the night instead of going back to her dorm room. First she had to get there, however… Where the heck was Joe?

Deep exhaust echoed off the surrounding buildings, alerting Mina to his arrival. She stepped out from beneath an overhang, wearing a grateful smile that abruptly vanished when she realized it was not Joe's rugged Samurai that had come for her but a sleek Maserati. Kaelan exited the vehicle wearing an impassive expression, his hands buried in the pockets of a peacoat. "What are _you_ doing here?" Mina demanded, not even trying to hide her disdain.

"Joe got caught up with work." He said nothing further, simply opening the trunk and standing aside as Mina hefted her heavy suitcases. She wasn't about to ask for his help and intended to give him the silent treatment until she stepped into the car, dislodging snow from her boots.

"Oh no, I didn't mean to ruin the carpet." She leaned forward to sweep it out.

"It's fine, I bought all-weather mats."

"Oh good. I mean, this car cost you a lot…"

"I appreciate your concern for my vehicle." Kaelan stared straight ahead as he drove through the icy conditions.

"Are you supposed to go this fast in the snow?"

"It's fine since I have chains and rear-wheel drive."

"Ah." Pause. "Thanks for picking me up."

"No problem." Pause. "How was your vacation?"

"It was fun… I did a lot of shopping with my mom, helped my dad file his paperwork, watched some Christmas specials, got drunk on New Year's…" She waved off the rest as a partial smile turned Kaelan's lips.

"Mine was similar, though I did my own paperwork and ate too much in addition to getting bolloxed."

Mina laughed a little. "Let me guess– Nicholas' cooking?"

"Makoto also contributed. The two of them are brilliant in the kitchen."

"I know, right?" she grinned. "I wish my mom had a fraction of their skills. Every year she tries a new recipe and it's never very good, but me and my dad pretend to like it. She's much better at desserts."

"What's your favorite?"

"Any and all kinds of cheesecake." She licked her lips just thinking about it. "My mom makes a dark chocolate raspberry one that I'd die for. I also love chocolate mousse with cherries."

Kaelan raised an eyebrow. "I thought it was just a stereotype that girls loved chocolate."

"Not everyone does– caramel is Ami's weakness. There's science behind it, though. Cocoa releases endorphins which make you happy, and dark chocolate contains antioxidants that are good for your immune system. They say red wine and chocolate are the keys to a long life. Both also happen to taste really good!" They shared a laugh, then Mina felt her cheeks warming up. She was a little disappointed at her inability to stay mad at Kaelan, but it was impossible to deny that they just clicked. They could talk for hours about anything and not get bored. They were both charismatic and extroverted with similar discerning tastes. She also couldn't deny that magic happened when they were in the bedroom together.

"Hey," she said, earning a glance. "Did you… Have you hooked up with anyone since we stopped seeing each other?" Kaelan shook his head a few times. "Why not?"

He shrugged. "No one can hold a candle to you, Mina." The car stopped and they stared at one another before she noticed they were at his house, not campus.

"Why did you bring me here?"

"I don't want you to be alone," he answered. "You have friends here. You'll always be welcome here."

Mina buried her face in her hands to hide the emotions flooding her visage. "I thought we were over… I thought you didn't want me any more."

"Of course I do, I'm just a dumbass that said it all wrong. I wanted to take a break to get to know _you_, not just your body." Kaelan had been gripping the steering wheel and now released it, turning toward her. "I've missed you a lot, Mina. I bought this for you last month, but since you weren't around for Christmas…" He withdrew a small, flat box from his pocket that she tentatively accepted.

Inside was a copper bracelet featuring a raw piece of rose quartz. "This is so beautiful…" She trailed off, at a loss for words, and looked at the boy in slight shock.

Kaelan nervously mussed his hair. "I found it in Pike Place. The vendor said that copper is good for blood circulation, and I know you like pink."

"Thank you," Mina said earnestly while slipping it on her wrist. She then leaned forward to embrace him, catching the scent of his cologne and closing her eyes to the headiness it solicited. "I'm sorry…" she murmured, "You _do_ mean something to me."

"Glad to hear it," he softly returned. "That makes this a bit easier." He pulled back, searching her expression. "Mina, will you please go out with me?"

She smiled in return. "Sure, but where to?"

"How about dinner and a film?"

Mina nodded. "It's a date."

* * *

Mamoru's first time riding the ferry across the Sound was to pick up Nia at her home on Bainbridge Island. She didn't own a vehicle, preferring to utilize her mountain bike, but where they were going was too far to ride. He glanced at the GPS and turned down a long dirt driveway, the kind with overhanging trees and a thick veil of fog that seemed like a path to a hidden realm. It was still early, seven o'clock to be exact, but they had a two-hour drive to Cape Flattery, the northernmost tip of the state. Yesterday Nia called him to say she felt a strong spiritual pull from the cape and thought it might belong to the talisman Prince Endymion once possessed.

He parked in front of a modern farmhouse with a large barn off to the left. When he knocked on the front door a chorus of barks answered, then he heard their mistress yell at them to quiet down. Nia opened the door with a grin. "Do you like dogs?" she asked.

"I've never really been around them," he answered.

"Then I guess we'll find out." She stepped aside to unleash the canine torrent upon Mamoru, laughing as he stood completely still while her dogs sniffed him all over. Nia then snapped her fingers to command their attention, lowering her hand to make them sit.

Mamoru brushed the fur off his jeans. "Where did you get all these dogs? And how long have you lived here?"

"Since May or so," Nia replied with a shrug. "I bought this property because it was a good deal. Five acres and a brand-new house is prime real estate that will only increase in value, if I decide to sell. For now it's a working farm. I grow my own produce, raise cows, chickens and rabbits, and I have a couple horses. I'd give you a tour if it weren't so foggy."

"I see," Mamoru said, nodding slowly. He looked down at the dogs. "What are their names?"

"Nagi is the Akita and the husky is Sila, his girlfriend. The Samoyed over there is Anya, she's kind of shy. Lastly are the inseparable Dundee and Maddox, my working men." She knelt down and was instantly surrounded by fluff and lolling tongues. "I adopted them all from shelters. Anya was first and she didn't get along with Nagi until I got Sila, the pack mom, and I adopted Dundee and Maddox together. Both their previous owners said they were too energetic." She stood up, frowning slightly. "I hate it when people treat animals like disposable objects. They deserve the love of a family."

After herding them back inside, Mamoru and Nia headed out, the latter remarking how luxurious his car felt. They drove in silence until crossing the Hood Canal Bridge, entering the Olympic Peninsula. Tree-covered foothills rose before them, some dusted with snow while taller peaks were surrounded by dark grey clouds. "I've biked all over these hills," the girl commented. "After a few minutes on any trail you'll forget that civilization exists."

"Why would you want to? I thought you were a city girl since you lived in London."

"I only enjoyed London because it's a cultural melting pot. People from all over the world visit there so you never know who you'll meet. But it's crowded and dreary. While at Oxford I took weekend trips to Wales, Scotland and Ireland, and those are all very beautiful places. As for my original home, I was born in a village near Lake Volta, which is quite forested." A little smile turned Nia's lips as she stared out the window. "I feel like I can be happy here and live life the way I desire. Humans are born with two options– help themselves or help others. I was devoted to the latter cause long before the responsibilities of this compact were thrust upon me."

She opened the copper trinket, brushing each cabochon. "These stones represent the harmony of earthly elements. Smoky quartz is the soil in which everything grows. Green spinel is the plants that spring forth. Danburite is the wind and clouds that bring rain, and lapis lazuli represents the water that nourishes the land. Jade is the terrene throne from which I watch over Earth."

"I understand that you girls have a destiny to protect the world, but I'm still unsure how I fit into the scheme of things."

Nia barked a laugh. "You're the reincarnated Prince of Earth, Mamoru! You have the most responsibility of all of us! I'm not the Soldier of Earth, you are. I'm only a priestess. My duty is to protect you and your lords."

Mamoru raised a confused eyebrow. "My lords? Who are they?"

"Who do you think?" she returned. "The young men you live with are from four different areas of the globe, one for each cardinal point."

"I see…" he breathed. "Am I supposed to represent the center?"

"Yes, in a manner of speaking. Your home is Elysium, the spiritual heart of the planet. Each individual flora and fauna has a soul, and upon death those souls go to Elysium to be reborn. Humans are different, however. We came from the heavens and our souls contain star seeds, the only remainder of the higher beings we once were. The souls within you, me, and the others possess exceptionally strong star seeds called guardian crystals. The energy from our talismans activates the crystals and allows us to unleash our elemental powers."

"Which is why you needed that pendant," Mamoru reasoned. "I'm still in awe of how logical this whole situation is. I wasn't expecting magic to make sense." Nia hummed in agreement and they fell into another comfortable silence until arriving in Port Angeles where they grabbed breakfast. "Why is it that people crave ice cream in winter and hot cocoa in summer?" the boy wondered before ruining the swirl of his frozen yogurt.

"Human nature, I suppose. We usually desire things that are contrary to our well-being." Nia shrugged and devoured her muffin, careful not to spill any crumbs.

Silence reigned yet again as Mamoru focused on the twisting, narrow road skirting Crescent Lake. "I haven't been able to figure you out, Nia," he stated. "You claim to love Earth and all its inhabitants, but you hate people."

She shook her head a few times. "I don't hate people, I hate society. I believe people are capable of amazing things, but when they enter a society and fall prey to its arbitrary constructs they lose all trace of the person they could have been." She stared out the window, watching the tranquil scenery flash by.

"But you have a psychology degree… I thought you would be more empathetic."

Nia released a long sigh before focusing her deep brown eyes on the boy. "Let me tell you something about the world, Mamoru. Humans would rather investigate and probe and meddle instead of accept that it simply _is_. We watched the movements of the Sun and stars and used to them to invent time. Time is a concept that most sentient species embrace, but the passage of time is insignificant in the eyes of whoever created the universe, which in turn created us. They observe us like mice in a maze, watching to see which outcome we bring upon ourselves. Even if we solicit our own demise, they won't interfere. We are that insignificant compared to the rest of their creation." She paused to open the window a crack. "You and I are different, though. Our guardian crystals ensure our souls will never disappear from the universe. I want to find out why our creators gave us immortal souls. I'm not empathetic to the plight of humanity because no one else matters but us."

"Well, I disagree with you," he said quietly. "If no one else mattered, why give them souls in the first place? Why offer the chance to be reincarnated?"

Surprisingly, the girl grinned. "Now you're asking the important questions."

* * *

The parking lot and trail leading to the cape were both empty, a fact that made Nia happy since she wouldn't have to explain herself to anyone. Mamoru tried handing over her backpack but could hardly lift it. "What on earth do you have in here?" he asked with a grunt.

"The gear I need to retrieve the talismans." Mamoru assumed she was referring to a long coil of rope and maybe a hook or cage or something. He was not expecting belaying equipment such as a harness and carabiners. Standing on the observation platform, he couldn't believe Nia intended to descend into the tumultuous ocean. She could easily be trapped by an eddy and drowned, or be thrown against the sharp rocks by a strong wave. He turned away while she undressed to put on a wetsuit that would insulate her against the frigid waters.

"I guess there really isn't anything money can't buy…" he remarked as she secured her line to two wind-blown trees, "except sanity."

"Thank you for considering my safety, but I've done this plenty of times." With that she slowly backed over the cliff edge. Mamoru eyed the twitching rope for a moment before daring to look down at her. Nia didn't appear to be having a hard time, but she was careful where she placed her feet because the rocks were covered with moss and lichen. Finally she reached a half-submerged boulder and stood on it, giving herself some slack. She leaned over and turned in a slow circle. "It's definitely right around here, but I can't see past the froth. I have to go in– hand me the goggles."

Mamoru dropped them down and she slipped into the water. He nervously chewed his lip, breathing a sigh of relief when she resurfaced. Nia held up a box covered in barnacles and one dark purple starfish. "This is it!" she called, and secured it to her lower back before beginning her ascent. Mamoru watched her face don a look of annoyance as her hands constantly slipped off the jagged rocks. "Should have brought chalk…" she muttered, climbing slowly. He helped pull her onto solid ground where she stood with her hands clasped behind her neck, taking deep breaths.

"Your lips look a little violet," the boy remarked.

"That water was very cold," Nia returned, "but I'm fine. No hypothermia today." She smiled and returned all her equipment to the backpack, handing Mamoru the weathered, ancient box. He wondered how it had held up so well after thousands of years, then realized it probably had a magical ward or something protecting it; it was completely sealed and there were no key holes. After changing into dry clothes Nia watched him go over the container in consternation, a slight smirk forming on her lips. "If you can't figure out how to open it, you don't deserve what's in it."

"If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all," Mamoru countered tersely, stowing their treasure the trunk.

"We need to have it restored to its original condition. That should be a simple task for the mistress of time." He raised a confused eyebrow. "Hotaru," Nia supplied.

Back across the ferry they went, navigating the narrow streets of Seattle's neighborhoods to reach the eccentric duo's home in Laurelhurst. Shanta answered the door this time, her gaze lingering on Nia. "I know you, yet I am certain we have never met."

"But you've met my feline friend." Shanta nodded sagely and stepped aside to let them enter. Mamoru waved at Hotaru, prompting the girl to descend from her loft and join them in the living room. "My name was Khamyne when you knew me," Nia said as an introduction. "I was a Priestess of Elysium, a guardian of Prince Endymion. I was the first guardian to be reborn– if you have any questions about your destiny, I'm sure I can answer them."

Hotaru raised her hand. "Excluding the one Michiru killed, how many Dark Cloud warriors are there?"

"There are eight left, the strongest of whom is Eris," Nia replied. "Everyone must be awakened before we face her. That's why we brought this reliquary– we need you to restore it. If you would be so kind, Moira."

After chanting her henshin phrase, a slightly-wizened Hotaru placed her hand on the wooden box to discern its composition. She slowly moved her palm across the top and the surface seemed to shimmer slightly as waves of time trickled down the sides. Within seconds a polished oak container with gold fixtures sat on the table, prompting Mamoru to reach out. It had a biometric lock like the one in King Hyperion's chamber and once open an inner shelf rose to greet him. Upon a velvet cushion were five trinkets: one golden brooch, two silver rings and two bronze rings. Each featured a large precious stone surrounded by ornate filigree.

Mamoru picked up the brooch resembling a compass rose, marveling at the diamond in the center and the four smaller stones of ruby, emerald, sapphire and topaz. "I _can't_ wear this in public," he stated. "I'll get mugged."

"It will protect you from such threats," Nia said, waving off his concern. "Can you not feel how powerful your aura has become? It's basically a shield now."

"Can it deflect bullets and knives?"

"Do bullets and knives frequently threaten your well-being?" The two stared at each other until Mamoru turned away, grumbling at her logic, and Nia smiled. "Thank you for the favor, Hotaru. We must now return these talismans to their rightful owners."

"I'm glad I could help," she said. "I can't wait to see Mamoru reclaim his former glory."

The boy blushed as he and Nia returned to his car. He didn't feel any different with the brooch in his possession, not regal or courageous or anything else indicative of his princely status. But perhaps he would feel that way once he transformed; perhaps his friends would adopt personality traits indicative of their past lives, too. "How do I use this?" he abruptly inquired, startling the girl since he had remained quiet throughout the drive. "How do I become Endymion?"

"It will be a group effort," she answered cryptically.

* * *

Mamoru responsibly sped home, eager for the ceremony to begin. "Hey everyone, get down here right now! We have something for you!" He made a beeline for the living room without even removing his coat or shoes, which earned him a glare from Kaelan.

"Get your damn dirty boots off the rug." His grey eyes widened in mild outrage when Mamoru only tossed them by the hearth, and Zach snickered. Nicholas greeted Nia as she placed the reliquary on the coffee table, then she glanced around.

"Where is Joseph?" The three boys shared a look, chuckling a little, causing a frown to turn her lips. "Why is that funny? He needs to be here."

Nicholas cleared his throat. "He's been working hard lately."

"Really getting down to business," Kaelan added stoically.

Zach burst out laughing at that, soliciting a confused glance between Mamoru and Nia. He quickly composed himself and looked the girl dead in the eye. "He's with Rei."

"…Is that all?" she asked, perturbed.

"No, he's _with_ her," the blond boy emphasized. But Nia didn't catch on.

"So call him and tell him to get here as soon as possible."

Now Nicholas snorted in amusement. "That'd be rude. He needs to finish first."

Zach's laughter filled the room; he laughed so hard a few tears escaped. While Nia folded her arms to wait for him to calm down, Mamoru reread their expressions and gasped when it finally dawned on him. "Oh, you mean he's… He and Rei… When did _that_ happen? I thought they were just friends!"

"He says they still are," Kaelan answered, "but you don't 'just' start fucking one of your friends on a regular basis."

"What?!" Nia exclaimed. She stood with her mouth agape for a while. "I don't understand," she muttered. "How could they be intimate now? They despised one another." She shook her head and sighed. "Regardless, he must be present in order for us to proceed."

"Proceed with what?" Nicholas inquired, but he was ignored as Nia turned to whisper to Mamoru, who nodded furtively. His gaze fell on the oak container. "What's going on? What's in this box?"

Still his questions went unanswered, for Joe returned just then. "Joseph! Come here!" Nia commanded. He obeyed but warily stood at the edge of the room, wondering why they were gathered.

"Were you at Rei's place?" Mamoru asked, curiosity getting the better of him.

His brow furrowed. "No, I had to run to the store to help a new guy receive a shipment. Why would you assume I was with Rei?"

"Because you're banging her," Zach said matter-of-factly.

"I most certainly am not!" The blush that spread up his neck instantly betrayed him, however, and his visage turned sheepish. "How did you figure it out?"

Kaelan sighed. "It wasn't rocket science– I smelled incense on your jacket the other day. The only person I know who burns it is Rei. Not to mention you've been coming home from work without looking like a zombie, meaning you've had more energy."

Joe couldn't explain that what he and Rei were doing was more than just sex. His friends wouldn't understand, and it was none of their business anyway. After shedding his winter gear he sat down beside Kaelan, receiving a broad grin from Zach. "How does it feel to finally be a man?"

He scowled. "What do you mean? I've always been a man."

Zach waved off the remark and turned to Mamoru. "That makes you the last virgin. Got your eye on anyone?"

"Enough of this!" Nia declared, throwing her hands up in exasperation. "Your sexual exploits are not important! Mamoru, please open the reliquary." He did so eagerly, and the four onlookers fell silent when the shelf appeared from its recess. "Put these on," the girl said in a calmer manner. She handed the bronze ruby ring to Nicholas, the bronze topaz ring to Zach, the silver emerald one to Joe, and the silver sapphire ring to Kaelan. They admired the talismans before slipping them on their fingers, then collectively looked to Mamoru. He in turn looked at Nia, who withdrew her compact and aimed it at him.

"What am I supposed to see?" he asked after a moment.

"Nothing. You are showing _them_." Sure enough, Mamoru noticed the diamond on his brooch exuding a thin beam of light that was refracted by the stones in the compact, directing four more light rays to his friends. Their eyes were wide open, entranced by the events of their past lives playing out.

The diamond abruptly stopped channeling; Mamoru gasped when they slumped over on the couches, unconscious. "Was… Was that it?"

"Let us see." Nia thrust her compact into the air, her lips instantly separating into a knowing smile. _"Terra Millennium Power, Make Up!"_

Mamoru had to shield his eyes with one arm as bright green light radiated from the peridot pendant, completely enveloping Nia. He experienced the curious sensation of standing beneath the summer sun, but he was indoors and it was the middle of winter. He thought he smelled flowers too, perhaps roses, and the scent of earth after a rain shower. _'There's a word for that… Petrichor, I think…'_ He opened his eyes to see if he had been transported from the mansion, but he still stood before the fireplace and Nia was still beside him; however, her appearance had completely changed. Instead of her simple t-shirt and jeans she now wore a bronze gown with slits up each leg. Leather lace-up sandals reached above her knees, and upon her arms were several beaded cuffs. Around her neck and shoulders was an impressive harness of beads and jewels in cool tones, but the thing Mamoru could not tear his gaze from was the ornate headdress consisting of a metallic halo supporting long, iridescent peacock feathers.

"You are… a goddess," he managed to breathe. Nia –or Khamyne, since that's who she was in this form– was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen, so awe-inspiring that it almost hurt to gaze upon her, as if he wasn't worthy.

Nia examined herself and winced. "I certainly didn't look like this before. What were they thinking, giving me this ridiculous outfit? How am I to fight like this?" She released a huffy breath; at the same time a fierce wind made the windows creak and rattle, and a few branches snapped off the trees. The pair stared at one another in mild fear, then Nia approached a wilted peace lily near the stairs. All she had to do was touch it with one finger to perk it up once more. Grinning, she turned toward Mamoru and found him regarding the floor in bewilderment. She had left a trail of flowers in her wake, little ones like forget-me-nots, mazus and lobelia. "I don't think I'll get used to that," she said softly.

* * *

Kaelan awoke with horrible nausea. He sat up and took deep breaths, waiting for the vertigo to subside before rising to his feet in an attempt to reach the kitchen. Clinging to the countertop, he took great gulps of water straight from the faucet, but it didn't help and he ended up vomiting into the sink. It felt like World War III was occurring in his stomach; his body was wracked with waves of pain as he slid down the island, arms wrapped around his midsection to prevent himself from bursting open. He didn't know how long he lay there in agony or if he really was fading in and out of consciousness, if the pain eventually vanished or he simply grew accustomed to it. It turned out to be the former, for a cool hand fell upon his forehead and provided clarity. Kaelan looked up at Nia, embarrassed by his pathetic state, but she only gave him a gentle smile. "How do you feel?"

"No longer like I'm dying," he answered, managing to right himself. With her help he rose to his feet and returned to the living room, glancing to each of his tenants. _'No, they're more than that… They are my brothers in arms.'_ He examined Nia again and was taken aback by the primordial beauty she radiated. "I know your name…" he said slowly, "It's Khamyne. I wasn't able to thank you for saving… Endymion." Kaelan regarded Mamoru in mild wonderment, but the blue-eyed boy wouldn't meet his gaze. He looked to the others instead, simultaneously seeing them as they were now and how he remembered them. It was almost frightening how much they _hadn't_ changed.

Nia approached Joe, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Now that you know who you are, do you still wish to pursue a relationship with Enyo?"

"Yes, I still want to be with Rei. For one thing it's not what any of you think, and for another I have no desire to kill her. Jadeite hated her and I'm not him."

"What about when we went to pick her up for the movie?" Nicholas put in. "You were acting pretty hostile."

"Well yeah, I was pissed when I found out about her father's line of work!" Joe clamped his mouth shut after realizing how forceful his voice sounded, then cast his gaze downward. Jadeite's temper now smoldered within him, wanting to blaze forth and incinerate anyone that rubbed him the wrong way. He prayed he had the strength to keep it in check.

Nia cleared her throat to earn everyone's attention. "I know you will struggle for a few days to assimilate the memories of your previous lives. I will be here to listen to any concerns or doubts you may have, so quell that male bravado and talk to me when your emotions become too much to bear." Zach quietly scoffed. "Since the Silver Era is long gone, I believe you all need new designations. Use these identities to help usher in a new era once the threat of the Dark Cloud has been eliminated."

She turned to Joe first. "Joseph Levin, you were born in Vladivostok, Russia. You are the Lord of the East. Spring is your season and air is your element. Of the Four Kings of Heaven, you are Jikoku, the Keeper of the Kingdom. Please continue to defend the natural wonders of this planet." Nia faced Zach next. "Zacharie le Blanc, you come from New Orleans, Louisiana. As the Lord of the West you command the metal element and rule the autumn season. You are Komoku, the Lord of Limitless Vision, and I hope the beauty of this world will continue to inspire you." He gave a small nod, humbled.

"Nicholas Meyer, you hail from Johannesburg, South Africa, clearly denoting your status as Zojo, the Lord of the South. You are the Lord of Spiritual Growth but you prefer to exist in this tangible realm. Your strength reaches its peak during the summer months, and our enemies fear your fiery might. Use it well." He lifted his chin, smirking a little, and Nia rotated to the silver-haired boy. "Kaelan Burke of Kinsale, Ireland. You rule the water element and, like it, will always overcome the obstacles you face. The winter season is reflected in your appearance. You are Tamon, also called Bishamonten, He Who Knows All. But with that knowledge you must not raise yourself above others."

"I promise," he whispered. Nia heard him and smiled, then closed her eyes and willed her power back into her copper compact. Even in her civilian form it fell off her in waves, an aura of fortitude and soulful grace that infused the Shitennou with power in turn. She had given her life to protect Endymion all that time ago. Now it was their turn to let her wield their elements against the Dark Cloud, who threatened the peace they were about to herald.

_'I won't give up the fight this time.'_ Kaelan repeated the affirmation as he knelt on the rug and reached beneath his bed, flinching when his fingers landed on the wooden box housing the ilmenite sword, Verticordia's blade… _Mina's_ blade. It was this artifact that had caused his sickness; even now it made him dizzy, but Kaelan steeled himself against the shame of his death. He should have lived on with Verticordia and prevented the war that decimated the planetary kingdoms, but he had been so weak then. Perhaps it was a bit morbid to fall in love with the woman to whom the instrument of his demise belonged, but Kaelan was no longer that man. This time around he refused to leave her side.


	22. New Horizons

**Chapter Twenty-Two: New Horizons**

Zach sat backstage with his professor and a few technicians while every line of dialogue he'd written for _Eternal Heart_ went in one ear and right out the other. He didn't care about the applause his actors received at the end of each scene, nor did he care about all the minor adjustments that had to be made to ensure the play went off without a hitch. Up until the curtain rose it seemed at least fifty people had asked for his permission to do this or that, but he honestly just didn't care. A few weeks ago he would have done everything in his power to take full control over every little aspect of opening night, to ensure everything was done exactly the way he wanted. The play, its reception, and the chance at becoming a member of a professional theater group were the furthest things from his mind at the moment, though a part of him knew they should be front and center.

The truth was that none of this mattered to Zoicite… or should he say Komoku, since that was his identity now. His art was pointless. Scripts, lighting plans, costume and stage designs… all of it was completely inconsequential. Zach was a warrior now, not an artist; he couldn't even try to be an artist when he had a whole planet to help protect. The day before returning to school, he and the other Shitennou went into the mountains to test out their elemental powers. Nicholas' ability to summon flame was by far the most impressive, but he had deplorable control over it. Joe also struggled to bind the wind to his will, and the two of them almost succeeded in spreading a massive forest fire. Luckily Kaelan doused the blaze with his effortless mastery of water. The only thing Zach accomplished was dredging the remains of a silver vein up from the earth. It had taken all of his willpower to summon the metal from its subterranean home, but now he had a pure silver coin that he idly turned between his fingers. He was very disappointed with it, however, since he couldn't think of a more impressive shape at the time. It seemed he was losing his creative drive.

The play ended and massive applause flooded his ears, though he barely registered what that meant. "Great job, Zacharie," said Professor Sinclair. "I think you've just established yourself as a talent to watch out for."

"Thanks," he muttered, making the man frown.

"Do try to keep your chin up, Mister le Blanc. You've earned a 4.0 for the quarter!"

_'__As if it matters.'_ "Thank you, Professor," Zach said with a bit more enthusiasm. He took off his headset and left it on the chair, grabbed his bag and headed for the exit. Some people gave him questioning looks but most of them were too busy congratulating each other. Tomorrow the critiques would roll in; Zach was certain most of them would be positive. He'd read opinions from a lot of critics who said high fantasy didn't belong on the stage, challenging him to write _Eternal Heart_ in the first place. Throughout his whole life people told Zach "you're not supposed to do that" or "you can't do things that way", and throughout his whole life he successfully proved them wrong.

Zach got in his car, put the key in the ignition but didn't turn it. Instead he fished out his phone and dialed a number. A woman answered after a few rings. "Yes?"

"You've won, Mama. I'm quitting theater." He heard her inhale. "But I'm not coming home any time soon. Give Dad my best." Zach hung up before she could say anything, then he started the car and made the dark drive home. Once in his room he turned off all the lights and got into bed even though it was only seven o'clock. It occurred to him that perhaps he was experiencing some kind of depression due to the weather; it hadn't been this cold and stark last year. Being from the Gulf Coast he wasn't exactly fond of snow, but Nicholas loved it. Maybe that was another reason why Zach was down in the dumps. He'd spent his entire freshman year with the smart jock, even grown to consider him a pretty good friend, but as soon as they moved into the mansion Nicholas became better friends with everyone else.

Not to mention he now spent all his free time with Makoto. Kaelan had Mina and Joe was seeing Rei. And Mamoru had Usagi, of course; even though they weren't officially dating they were basically a couple. Following the trend, then, Zach should have been with Ami, but how was that supposed to work when she thought he was gay? With Jackson no less, the star of his play. The play she begged for details about and waited four months to see. Zach wondered if she had been in the audience tonight, and no sooner had he formed that thought than he received a text from her. **'Where are you? Everyone's waiting for you at the after-party.'**

Why would Ami voluntarily go to a party when she'd made it abundantly clear she didn't like them? Zach realized she probably wanted to congratulate him for having all his hard work finally come to fruition. **'I'm at home. Don't really feel like partying. You should stay and have fun, though.'**

**'****But it's no fun without you!'** Immediately after that she sent a selfie featuring her and Jackson pouting at the camera. If Jackson really were his boyfriend, Zach would have found it endearing that he and Ami got along so well, but because it was a farce he felt like a total scumbag instead.

Over the next few months Zach's classmates stopped trying to socialize with him and his professors ceased asking him to participate. He no longer went to the library to have lunch with anyone, just sat by himself in lonely alcoves. Valentine's Day passed like any other day, though he noticed people exchanging cards, sweets and kisses. Somewhere in the back of his mind was a reminder to make salted caramel bites for Ami, but obviously it was too late now. March came and the snows finally gave way to rain. "In like a lion, out like a lamb" everyone said, as if it were predictable. The weather would do whatever it damn well pleased. _'But I bet Nia could change it if she wanted.'_

Thinking of her made him wonder about the true extent of her powers and his own in turn. It gave him something to focus on, something to look forward to at the end of each day. He bought some of those stainless steel desktop sculptures Nicholas was so fond of and assembled them with his will, then augmented them or built something new entirely. At first his creations appeared crude, jagged, but when he shut out everything else about the world, Zach found he could shape the metal into whatever ornate form came to his mind's eye. He toyed with art nouveau styles for about a week, then it dawned on him that there was a much more practical application for his abilities.

So it happened that Kaelan opened the bedroom door one day to see Zach's arms and legs sporting medieval armor with a distinctively elven flourish. "What the hell are you doing?" he asked in mild shock.

"Making armor, duh" Zach returned. He finished a gauntlet and made a fist, finding that it restricted his movement too much. He transferred the steel segments to his elbow, tested its articulation, smiled at the fact that he could finally do something useful for other people. He put his hands on his hips and grinned at Kaelan.

"You're not going to wear that every day, are you?" Zach rolled his eyes and willed the steel off his body, compressing it into a large, flat disc that hung on the wall like a mirror. Kaelan glanced between it and him a few times. "How did you do that?"

He shrugged. "The metal does whatever I want. Haven't you guys been trying to get a better handle on your powers?" Kaelan shook his head. "Well, whatever. Did you need something?"

"I just came to tell you that if you'd like to go to Hawaii for spring break, you need to pack tonight and be ready to leave for Edmonds no later than six o'clock."

Now it was Zach's turn to look confused. "What's in Edmonds?"

"Our ride," Kaelan answered.

* * *

All anybody knew was that Kaelan had some sort of plan to take nine people plus himself all the way to Hawaii for a month, and that actually getting there wouldn't cost anyone a penny. Usagi was more than annoyed that she didn't get to sleep in on the first day of spring break, but the prospect of adventure enabled her to get out of bed and wait for Mamoru to pick up her and Makoto. "Do you think Kaelan chartered a ship or something?" she mused.

Makoto lifted a shoulder. "I thought it might be a cruise, but if so then everyone would have come here. I don't know why we'd have to drive all the way north to Edmonds."

"I guess Kaelan is just exercising his eccentric millionaire side." A half hour later Mamoru pulled into the marina and parked between Rei's Acura and the Maserati. The three of them stepped out, yawning, and made their way over to the security gate where everyone was gathered. Everyone but the leader of this excursion, that was. "Figures he's not even here!" Usagi grumbled.

"He told us to wait," Nicholas explained. "The guard let him right in." He automatically put an arm around Makoto when she snuggled against him to keep warm, this simple action banishing Usagi's irritation. Upon returning from Tokyo after New Year's and discovering that her best friend was dating the guy she'd been pestering her about since September, Usagi released a shriek of excitement so loud the neighbors came over to ask if something was wrong. Every time Nicholas showed up to hang out, she gave him a goofy grin and squee'd into one of her pillows. Often she went to the arcade with Mamoru to give them alone time; afterward she noticed how flushed Makoto looked, but she wouldn't share any details.

"Aren't they so cute together, Mamo-chan?" Usagi whispered. "I'm so happy for Mako-chan that I just wanna scream!"

"I don't think you should do that right now, Usako. It's a little early."

"Then I'll wait until we're out in the middle of the ocean." Mamoru chuckled at that, then the rattling of the gate alerted him to Kaelan's return.

"Alright everyone, keep ahold of your bags and watch your feet. If one of you falls in it'll really put a damper on my morning." He led them along the maze of docks to where the largest vessels were moored. Nestled among three-story yachts and blue water sailboats was an impressive catamaran that Kaelan climbed onto, grinning down at his gawking friends. "Well don't just stand there, come on up! _Saoirse_ is happy to have you aboard!"

"Seer-sha?" Joe repeated. It didn't sound at all like how it was spelled on the side.

"Yeah, it means 'freedom'." With that Kaelan beckoned everyone to take either set of stairs leading to the deck, and he sounded extremely pleased with himself as he showed off his latest toy. "As you can see, this level has the living area, galley, and main bathroom. There are four cabins in the pontoons, two on each side, with individual bathrooms and showers. Someone is going to have to sleep on the couch here, but it's got a bed in it. The little door there leads to the cockpit where the radio and GPS are. Got all that?" Nine heads nodded tiredly. "Great. Now, which of you know how to sail?"

Zach raised his hand and looked around, his eyes widening when he saw that Ami also had her hand up. "How much experience do you have?" Kaelan asked the girl first.

"My father used to take me sailing before he… when I was a child." Even after twelve years it still hurt to talk about her parents' separation. "We used to sail all around the country. I might be a little rusty, but it should come back to me easily enough."

The captain nodded and turned to Zach. "My parents also have a sailboat, and I was a member of the sailing club in high school. I used to race a little trimaran."

"Excellent, I'm glad to have you two aboard. I bought this particular catamaran because it can be handled by two people, one if it's absolutely necessary. The weather forecast is expected to be good– no storms, just some pockets of rain. We're going to sail down the coast to San Diego where we'll stock up on whatever you guys need, then we'll head across to Hawaii."

"Will we be there the whole time?" Rei inquired.

"I wanted to visit all the islands, but it's not like we all need to stick together. There're kayaks, a dingy, and a couple jet skis secured to the hulls so you can go puttering off wherever you want. Oh, one more thing…" Kaelan lifted one of the sofa cushions, withdrawing a case from a hidden storage compartment. "Use this box to alert the Coast Guard if anything bad happens, like if we capsize. But if any of you turn this on and it's not an emergency, I get fucked by a massive fine. So do _not_ mess with it."

"Aye aye, captain," nearly everyone chorused, laughing. They dispersed to claim rooms and settle in for a few more hours of sleep while Kaelan started the motors, skillfully maneuvering the catamaran out of the marina and north through Puget Sound. They would then pass through the Strait of Juan de Fuca and round Cape Flattery where the big ring on his finger had been found by Nia. He looked down at the sapphire and wondered where in the world he could find water as pure and blue as its crystalline depths, if such waters even existed. _'They did in Elysium…'_ some part of him reminded. He hadn't appreciated the natural wonders of the planet during his old life, but now he certainly would. There was plenty of time to explore every corner of the globe, beginning with beautiful Hawaii.

* * *

"I didn't know you liked sailing," Ami remarked. She and Zach sat on the deck; even though a chill wind ruffled their hair and clothes, there was something mesmerizing about the wake of the catamaran and the effortless manner in which it pushed through the water.

"Oh yeah, there was no better way of escaping my parents than taking my trimaran to Corpus Christi on the weekends."

"I don't know where that is," she admitted.

"Texas coast. They have a hookah lounge and couple decent clubs. Even though I was underage they let me in."

"Probably because you're good-looking." Zach smiled at the way she said this so off-handedly, like it was a fact they both knew. "I'd never been to a club until we all went to Trinity."

"Did you have fun?"

Ami nodded. "I thought Matt Lange was really good. I actually like deep house music a lot."

"You continue to surprise me, Ami. I definitely pegged you as a classical girl." Zach gave her a playful nudge. "And I was really surprised that you went to the _Eternal Heart_ after-party. How was that?"

"Ah, interesting… to say the least. There was a _lot_ of singing. Dancing too, but mostly singing. And it actually got better when people were inebriated."

"Those are the theater kids for you," he laughed. They sat in comfortable silence until Mina opened the glass door.

"Hey, Kaelan wants to talk to you two. It's not urgent but he said the sooner the better."

They obliged and Kaelan cut right to the chase. "I had originally planned on dropping anchor at night to get some sleep, but since you've both sailed I was wondering if you would mind taking the helm in shifts. If I leave off tonight, you could keep us on course to San Diego. All you have to do is follow the coast south."

"You really trust us with this big-ass boat?" Zach half-snarked.

He received a narrow look. "I trust you not to want to pay for something if you break it. We'll make it to Hawaii much sooner if I don't have to stop to sleep."

"But my father's sailboat was quite small compared to this. I don't know if I can handle it," Ami said nervously.

Kaelan waved off her concern. "Sure you can. It's just like driving a big, old car with no assisted steering."

"I've never driven a car!"

"Oh, uh, okay then. Just hop on up here." They traded places, Zach peering over the girl's shoulder. "You probably won't even need to do anything unless the wind stops blowing. Since it's daylight I'll let you stay here and get used to it. When we get to the mouth of the Columbia, switch with Zach. How's that sound?"

"I suppose I can try…" Ami swallowed before putting her hands on the large wheel. She kept glancing down at the instrumentation to ensure the catamaran stayed exactly south and maintained its speed of thirteen knots. She also eyed the gauges for wind speed, direction and barometric pressure.

"You can use the radio to contact the cabin if you need anything, and you can close the windows and turn on the space heater if you get cold." His instructions finished, Kaelan grinned. "Remember to relax– that's the whole point of sailing." Ami nodded wordlessly, then he went downstairs to the cabin and announced himself with a question. "Are there any leftovers from lunch?"

Makoto and Nicholas were in fact cleaning up the remains of everyone's midday meal. "Sure, we saved you some soup. Do you want a panini with it?"

Kaelan nodded eagerly. "What do you guys think of the galley? Is it accommodating?"

"Uh, _yeah_," Nicholas answered. "Why didn't you buy copper cookwear for the actual house?"

"I'm so thankful for this convection stovetop. Our apartment has propane and I hate it," Makoto added.

"I replaced the propane systems with solar because I'm not keen on the idea of having contained explosives on my brand-new catamaran," Kaelan explained. His eyes lit up when they presented him with a hot sandwich and a bowl of homemade tomato soup. "I hope I got all the ingredients you two could need."

His housemate grinned. "No worries, we'll make sure to feed you like kings and queens."

"Speaking of your brand-new catamaran…" Joe piped up from the couch, "How much did it cost?"

He sighed. "Why do you have to know that? Can't you just appreciate this nice thing I'm doing for you?"

"Okay, new question." Makoto pointed a scrubbing brush at him. "How did you even learn to handle something like this?"

Kaelan chewed thoughtfully before answering. "That one's easy– I grew up around boats. Kinsale is a busy port and fishing town. One of the best jobs I had was working for the port authority where I got to inspect vessels for regulated plants, produce and animals. And drugs of course. I also worked on a fishing boat and in a processing plant, but that wasn't nearly as fun as looking for contraband on rich people's yachts. I got to sail a few in and out of the marina… And, okay, I took a week-long class when I bought this thing, but it's almost the same as a monohull which I'm pretty good with." Makoto nodded her approval before returning to the dishes. "Does anyone else have any more questions?"

Joe cleared his throat yet again. "Yes. Did you bring fishing gear?"

"Left pontoon storage," Kaelan replied. Rei laughed a little at the boy's hasty exit. "Now if that's about it, I'm going to take a nap. No one bother me unless we're sinking or on fire." The former was basically impossible and the later would only occur if one of his friends did something _really_ stupid, but honestly there weren't many ways for them to harm _Saoirse_. Upon entering his cabin Mina looked up in alarm from her fashion magazine.

"Who's sailing this thing if you're down here?"

Kaelan chuckled at her concern. "Don't worry, Ami's got it. Zach's helping her."

"Oh." She frowned slightly. "Do you trust them?"

"Sure, wouldn't you?"

"Not with a multi-million dollar catamaran," she said icily.

The boy removed his coat, sweater and boots before falling into the plush queen-sized bed. He allowed himself a few deep, relaxing breaths, then he faced Mina. "It didn't cost multiple millions of dollars."

"But still in the million dollar range," she confirmed. "You really shouldn't be spending your money so frivolously."

"It's not frivolous," Kaelan said evenly. "Sailing is something I enjoy. I got this particular cat so _all_ of us could enjoy it. And I only bought it after receiving my government subsidy."

The girl's eyes widened significantly. "You spent government money on this stupid boat?"

"No, I spent my _own_ money on this boat. And _Saoirse_ is beautiful, thank you."

"Then what on earth did you get a subsidy for?!"

"Because I'm funding the first fully-sustainable skyscraper in Seattle!" he shouted back, losing his cool.

Mina blinked a few times in amazement, then lowered her voice. "Why didn't you tell me that first, you idiot?" She gave him an apologetic hug. "You really need to work on communicating things in the right order!"

"I suppose I do," he admitted. She regarded him inquiringly. "Back in January this start-up architectural firm called Emerald Concepts approached me to ask if I'd consider funding their project after their initial backer withdrew. They already had a site, permits, materials and all that, they just needed to pay the contractors. I showed the design to Joe and Nicholas and they said I should go for it, so I applied for a grant to take some of the strain off my personal finances. I just got the check last month and decided to buy this cat to celebrate. You know I'm not stupid enough to spend taxpayer dollars on personal things."

"No, but you _are_ stupid for not telling me about this project you've invested in. I do care about what you're doing with your life besides taking me out to fancy restaurants, shows, and now vacations. I don't want to be your trophy girlfriend, you know!"

Kaelan became awash with guilt. He had in fact been lavishing Mina in an attempt to buy her love because knew she would leave him again if he said one wrong thing. Instead he'd almost sabotaged their second go-around with his silence. "I'm sorry," he muttered into her hair. "I thought I had all the right moves and knew exactly what to do, but then you came along and threw everything out the window. Are you sure you don't want a baby? Cause that's probably the only thing I can get right."

"I'm sure," Mina laughed, pulling back to look him in the eye. "You've done a lot of things right in the time I've known you, Kaelan. All the projects you've funded have had such positive impacts on people's lives and the community as a whole. You do the things no one else dares to do and you help people's dreams become reality. I bet your grandfather would be so proud of the way you've utilized his fortune to benefit others instead of just yourself."

He smiled at her contentedly. "Hmm… You sure know how to stroke a guy's ego, Mina. But if you wouldn't terribly mind… could you use something besides your words?" She scoffed and pushed him over but the impish grin remained on his face. "How about when we get to Hawaii?"

"We'll see," she said coyly, side-eyeing him. "I might be too tired from having so much fun."

"I see. You know we're still a week and a half out, so what'll you do 'til then?"

Mina shrugged. "I guess I'll just have to make my own fun. Even though your catamaran is impressive, there really isn't _that_ much to do on it. I suppose I could have Ami show me how to douse the mainsail and trim the jib."

"Oh Mina, I love it when you talk nautical to me." His heart soared at the fact that she even knew those terms. She giggled, rolled her eyes and returned to her magazine. Abandoning his hope of intimacy for now, Kaelan pulled off his shirt and snuggled into a pillow. "Wake me up in a few hours so I can check our heading."

"Will do, captain," Mina assured. As much as the notion of christening his vessel on its maiden voyage appealed to him, Kaelan knew Mina would be seduced by life on the open ocean soon enough. The motion of the waves, the view of the night sky, and the sense of peace achieved by escaping civilization entirely all had a very captivating effect on those bold enough to step away from the land of their birth for a while.


	23. Shades of Love

**Chapter Twenty-Three: Shades of Love**

Michiru woke up with a smile on her face for the third day in a row, and it wasn't completely due to the fact that Haruka had an arm around her waist. Things were honestly a lot more peaceful with Usagi and Makoto gone; one had a tendency to stay up late playing video games and the other just kept going until she ran out of energy. It was nice having the apartment all to herself again, but Michiru had to admit that after the first day she felt a little lonely. Inviting Haruka to come stay with her turned out to be a good solution.

Haruka had changed quite a bit since high school. Where she used to be brash and unapologetic, she now asked for permission to do just about everything in an effort to avoid invading Michiru's personal space, even though the violinist _wanted_ her to invade her space. She was ridiculously polite and reserved, downright shy in fact, but Michiru finally managed to coax Haruka into her bed. The blonde had clung to her all night, using her as a replacement body pillow, and tended to talk in her sleep. Even now she muttered something about needing a better lap time before her eyelids fluttered open, groggily taking in her bed mate's serene countenance. "Hi," she mumbled.

"Good morning," Michiru sweetly replied.

"Did I annoy you at all?"

"Not in the least."

"I'm glad." Haruka yawned widely and rolled onto her back; she was so used to sleeping in hotels that it felt like the queen-sized mattress went on forever. "Your bed is really comfy."

"I know, that's why I bought it," Michiru smiled. "You're welcome to sleep in it as often as you want."

Haruka sat up and swung her legs over the edge. "Thank you, but I don't want to bother you again. The futon was fine." She started to rise but Michiru reached for her hand, stopping her. She looked back to see a little bit of hurt in the virtuoso's eyes.

"I don't know if I've been making it obvious, Haruka, but I _want_ you to be here. I wouldn't have asked you to stay with me if I found you to be any sort of nuisance. Why don't you tell me what's really on your mind?"

The woman let out a long sigh and faced her halfway. "I just… I'm not certain if it's me you really want… or Aura." Michiru furrowed her brow at that. "I'm not even sure if I'm still _me_. After Hotaru healed my leg I should have called Katsu and gone right back to training, but part of me said I have to stay here to help. Instead of racing I should be hunting down the other members of the Dark Cloud… Part of me knows I have to _kill_ one of them." Haruka lowered her gaze. "You made it look easy, killing someone who was trying to kill you, but I just don't know if I can bring myself to do it even though it's what Aura wants."

Michiru placed her other hand atop Haruka's. "I wouldn't say it was _easy_. Most of me had no idea what to do, but I remembered fighting Salacia. _Thalassa_ remembered, and because I used to be Thalassa, Michiru lived. The truth is that all of us have to fight to survive, but we can allow our old souls to strike the fatal blow." She sat up so she could look into Haruka's eyes. "I know it's difficult, but these Dark Cloud beings have no qualms about taking our lives. If we don't end theirs first, there won't be anyone left to prevent them from stealing our sun, and then _everyone_ will die."

She signed in resignation. "I know it's our duty to save the planet, but I just can't fathom sticking my sword into someone when they haven't done anything wrong."

Michiru's eyes widened. "Haruka, there is a stranger out there who _will_ murder you if they get the chance. If you die because you don't embrace Aura's strength, I'll—"

"Why do you even still care about me?" she suddenly demanded. "Why have you been following my career if you didn't want to see me get hurt? Why did you break up with me only to want me back three years later? It _has_ to be because of Aura!"

"I couldn't care less about Aura!" Michiru returned. "I'm in the same position as you– I had no knowledge of the Silver Era until Luna told us, so how could I have known that you were her reincarnation? I loved you way before any of this, and I _still_ love you despite what's happened!" A heavy silence hung between them for a minute, then Michiru's voice came out quietly. "After you were gone I realized how wrong it was for me to ask you to quit racing. I never should have tried to take that away from you. Every time I watched you win I was reminded of your passion, passion that disappeared from my life when you left. I thought if I saw you in person I could regain some of it for my music."

Haruka scoffed, but not at Michiru. "But I ended up getting seriously hurt anyway, so you were right all along."

"No I wasn't. I know you would have won North Fire if the Dark Cloud hadn't interfered." The blonde hummed thoughtfully. "You know, when we were together I used to think that anyone could do what you do, just drive a car really fast. But once you were gone and I took the time to really watch rallycross, I realized it requires just as much focus and precision as playing an instrument. And maybe I knew that all along… Maybe I was jealous that you would become more successful than me, fall in love with someone better than me…"

"Like who, Lindsey Stirling? She _is_ pretty cute." Michiru narrowed her eyes at the impish grin on Haruka's face, then pushed her over with a laugh. "Don't worry, she's a little out of my age range. And I haven't exactly had time to go out with anyone since entering the Junior WRC circuit."

"I see. So will you stay with me over spring break at the least?"

Haruka pretended to think about it. "I suppose so. This place really beats the hotel."

"And will you promise to make yourself comfortable?" After receiving a nod Michiru gave a satisfied smile, got out of bed, and grabbed her bathrobe. "That means you can make breakfast, watch TV, do your laundry and anything else you need. No more asking for permission." With that she entered the master bathroom to take a shower, hanging her silk nightgown on a hook. About five minutes later she heard the door open and could make out Haruka's slender, nude silhouette through the steamed glass. She stepped into the hot water, wrapping her long arms around the brunette. Michiru couldn't help it; coyness automatically entered her tone as she asked, "What are you doing?"

"What you said– getting comfortable," Haruka answered smoothly.

* * *

Usagi stood on the front half of a pontoon as the catamaran sailed into the port of San Diego. She waved at people on jet skis and paddleboards, receiving enthusiastic greetings in return. Every stretch of sandy shore was also dotted with beach-goers, and on the boardwalks she could make out bikers, joggers and skaters. "This place looks amazing!" she shouted up to Kaelan.

"Enjoy it while you can, I only want to be here for an hour and a half at most. That should be enough time for you guys to buy clothes, food, beach stuff, or any necessities you forgot." Once the marina was in sight, Zach and Ami came out to secure the sails so Kaelan could switch on the motors, guiding the catamaran to a pier with practiced ease. "Alright everyone," he said once they were all gathered on the dock, "keep your phones on, don't wander too far away, and try to avoid tourist traps. Make sure to be back here by…" He glanced at his watch. "One o'clock on the dot. Stay safe, kids."

Usagi, Mina, Ami, Mamoru and Zach skipped off to the waterfront shops while Rei, Makoto, Joe and Nicholas hailed a taxi to take them to the nearest grocery store. "It feels weird not having my own rig to drive," Joe remarked from the backseat. "I wonder how Kaelan plans for us to get around on the islands."

"He's going to rent scooters, like Vespas," Nicholas supplied. "That way we can go wherever we want."

Joe shook his head and muttered something about being stupidly wealthy. When they got to the store Rei asked their driver to stick around, promising a big tip. All of her expenditures would go on her father's credit card; she was the second-wealthiest member of the group after Kaelan, with Zach not far behind. If they weren't already being provided fairly luxurious accommodations the three of them would have sprung for nice hotels. The catamaran made it so they could afford activities such as snorkeling, paragliding, surf lessons or anything else that struck their fancy.

"Where would you go if money was no object?" Nicholas randomly inquired while he and Makoto were in the seafood department.

She picked up a filet of king salmon, contemplating it. "Italy, I think. I'd love to learn traditional cooking techniques and how to make authentic tiramisu."

"Mm. I wanna go to Wales where my dad was born and see all the castles."

His girlfriend beamed up at him. "Then we'll have to start a travel fund so we can go there one day."

"That might take forever…" Nicholas sighed and Makoto put a hand on his arm, her expression growing worried. "It just occurred to me that I might never be able to take you on a trip like this. I still haven't got a job, I got two more years of school, and demand for engineers is shrinking so there might not even be any opportunities when I finally graduate."

"Maybe not in Seattle. You'll have to go where the work is, like China or India and their booming metropolises… metropoli?" Ami would know the correct plural.

Nicholas rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't wanna drag you halfway around the world though, assuming we'd even still be together by then. If I get done with one job in Dubai maybe a new one will pop up in Argentina or something. Then you'd be uprooted."

"Nikko, I can be a chef anywhere in the world, including on a catamaran in the middle of the ocean. Why are you so worried about the future all of a sudden?"

" 'Cause I don't wanna lose you…" he muttered. "I'll never be able to give you whatever you want, like Kaelan can. I'll never have as much money as him in my whole life."

Makoto set down her basket, placed her arms around his neck, and smiled reassuringly. "I don't need money to be happy. I just want to be with you, you big lug." Even though Nicholas nodded she could still see feelings of inadequacy swimming in his eyes, so she stood on her toes to give him a deep kiss. Other shoppers walking by looked alarmed, but Makoto didn't care since she wasn't going to see any of them ever again. _'Although, I thought that about Nikko-kun and look where we are now.'_ She really would have to suck up her pride and thank Usagi someday.

After the taxi returned them to the marina and all the food was put away, Rei lounged outside browsing current swimsuit trends on her phone. She should have bought one in Seattle at the beginning of the season, but she couldn't have known that Kaelan was going to whisk her off to Hawaii. Monokinis and tribal prints seemed to be the hot sellers this year, but she didn't like patterned anything and the monokinis all looked the same. She was about to give up the search when Joe appeared on deck. "Ah, just the person who can help." He glanced down at her, raising an eyebrow. "Will you come with me to get a swimsuit?"

"Sure, we still have half an hour until we shove off." He jumped to the dock, offering a hand to help Rei down the pontoon's narrow steps. They meandered along the boardwalk, occasionally popping into shops, but Rei had a discerning eye and spurned all the non-branded swimwear mass produced in Chinese sweatshops; she may have had lots of money at her disposal, but that didn't mean she had to waste it on disposable garments. Finally she found a more upscale boutique and Joe followed dutifully as she perused the racks. "How about this one?" he would say every so often, suggesting mainly dark colors.

"I think I want something different, like tie-dye." The boy's eyes widened in surprise before he went off to the other side of the store, regrouping with Rei at the dressing rooms a few minutes later. She immediately shook her head at the neon orange and lime green suits but took his other picks with her, tossing him a little smile as she closed the curtain. Joe leaned against the wall between rooms, inadvertently listening to the sound of fabric shifting as Rei undressed. It seemed oddly sensual for some reason; even though he saw her in the nude every time they exchanged energy, he'd never paid attention as she disrobed.

All of a sudden his pulse quickened, his palms growing sweaty and his fingers twitching with the desire to feel the soft flesh beneath her clothes. Without even thinking about it Joe slipped into the dressing room, coming to an abrupt halt as his actions caught up with his brain. Rei calmly stared into his eyes reflected in the mirror. "Can you tie me?" she asked after a second, lifting the dark hair off her neck. Just like that the moment passed and Joe felt his face turn scarlet; he was completely unable to vocalize an apology. Once his fingers had knotted the string Rei turned around. "What do you think?"

The two-piece was an intriguing blend of blue, violet and red, splashes of vibrant color against her porcelain skin. The bottom half wasn't that interesting but the top crisscrossed her abdomen several times before securing at her side, and there was just enough padding to give her small breasts a hint of cleavage. When the boy didn't answer Rei reached for the garments still hanging up and unclipped a violet sarong, wrapping it around her hips. "I think I'll get this to go with it," she idly remarked, posing a few more times.

"I-it looks good on you…" Joe finally managed to say. He was perplexed by the fact that Rei hadn't asked him to get out yet, but part of him didn't want to leave anyway. He wanted to keep watching her, wanted to touch her, wanted to feel her against him. _'I already know what she feels like,'_ he reminded himself. _'I've seen her naked plenty of times.'_

_"You only see what she chooses to show you, feel what she wants you to feel…"_ came a darker voice that wasn't quite his own. _"Just take what __you__ want instead of waiting for her to give it to you."_

As Rei reached back to untie the bikini top Joe's hand beat her to it, then his fingers loosened the knot at her waist. He stared at her for a moment, regarding the strings dangling down her back before he shook his head and carefully exited the room. She slowly released a breath, goosebumps rising on her skin as she did. For the briefest of moments Joe's aura had donned the same color and intensity as when he appeared outside her apartment, but this time it was tinged with dark lust. The strength of that aura was remarkable; even more astounding was the fact that he had been able to quell it. _'I have to figure out who… or what… that persona is,'_ Rei decided. As much as she didn't want to consider it, she had to be prepared for the possibility that a demonic essence had taken root in Joe's soul, in which case his faith was most likely keeping it in check. She silently thanked him for that, because it was clear that the malignant persona wanted to use him to get to _her_.

* * *

The cabin was completely silent aside from the faint scratching of Usagi's pen and a rustle of paper when Mamoru turned the pages of his book. He'd been reading since the port of San Diego disappeared behind them and glittering blue water became the only thing visible on the horizon. When night fell Usagi came in from the deck and opened her Nintendo DS, changing the game cartridges a few times before settling on Hyrule Warriors. Without even speaking Mamoru had lifted his legs so she could lie down with her elbows on the edge of the bed, then he stretched back out, crossing his ankles over her. It had been quiet then as well because Usagi muted the volume, only releasing an occasional utterance of frustration. It didn't occur to either of them that there was anything weird about this total lack of communication. This was just how it was, how it had been for many months now.

Mamoru finally bookmarked the next chapter and put down the novel. "Are you drawing or writing?" He knew Usagi had brought both her diary and her sketch journal, which was full of designs for class.

"Writing," she answered, but there was a despondent tone in her voice suggesting she didn't really want to be. Still her pink pen continued dancing across the page; Mamoru waited patiently until it stopped, and Usagi sighed. "I had a dream last night about the Silver Era, about us… It made me think about everything we've learned so far, what Nia told us and showed us. We've been looking for the Dark Cloud for a long time now, but we haven't come across any of them except the one Michiru killed." Mamoru nodded slowly. "I was wondering if Solaria is okay. I was thinking that if they decide to kill her then there won't be anything left to do. Everything that's happened so far will just fade away like a bad dream."

"Is that what you want, for everything to go back to normal?"

"I don't know," the girl said. "I was also thinking that it's because of all this reincarnation and destiny stuff that we're all here now, together. If we weren't destined to fight the same enemy, would we still be friends? Would any of us have gone to Seattle? Would all of us have even gone to university? If the Tomoe Laboratory hadn't blown up, would I still live in Juuban? Would I have stayed friends with Mako-chan… Would she be happily in love with someone who can give her the family she never had?"

"That… is a lot to consider," Mamoru replied. "People have driven themselves mad over the what-ifs, but there's no way to find out how things could have gone. All we have is the present and the choices we make in it. We can't know whether they'll lead us to a good future or a terrible one. We only live as best we can each day and hope we made all the decisions that ensure our tomorrow."

Usagi half-smiled. "You sound just like Endymion." She put away her diary before moving to sit beside Mamoru, sighing and resting her head on his shoulder. "I feel guilty that we haven't really begun fighting the Dark Cloud. Everyone is in such a good place right now and I feel like they're waiting until we believe nothing could go wrong, then they'll strike and ruin everything."

"That won't happen if we get to them first. You, me, Nia and the Shitennou. I bet the seven of us can handle them without a problem."

"We still have to find them, and I have no idea how to do that. I think Salacia was just a fluke." She sighed once more, stifling her anxieties. "Have you guys been using your powers?"

The face Mamoru made earned a laugh from the girl. "I know Zach has– he's got all kinds of armor pieces in his room. Nicholas was using his flame to cook before we left. I'm not sure about Joe or Kaelan." Usagi stared at him expectantly. He blushed, focusing on the vase of Blue Moon roses at the end of the bed. "I brought those flowers back to life."

"Mamo-chan! You gave me dead flowers?"

"I gave you _rejuvenated_ flowers," he corrected. "They were all wilted because of the heat. When I walked by the stand the florist started shouting, so I turned around and saw that they had perked up. He gave me a discount because he thought it was a miracle."

"A miracle that the Prince of Earth just so happened to be looking for roses." Usagi grinned at Mamoru as he looked away sheepishly, then her stomach growled and she straightened with a gasp. "Oh my gosh, we missed dinner! I was so busy kicking butt with Midna that I totally forgot!" She raced down the hall and up a short set of stairs, tearing open the fridge to find two sets of containers featuring notes with her and Mamoru's names. One held an ample serving of chicken Caesar salad and the other was full of rice pilaf; there was also some garlic bread wrapped in foil. Usagi thanked her best friend for letting Nicholas get away with serving double carbs for dinner as she bit into the warm, buttery morsel, carrying her meal outside.

She was surprised to find Rei, Ami and Zach seated in the lounge chairs, the last of whom raised a bottle of tequila to her when she stepped on deck. "Ayy, it's Usagi! We 'r wondering where yar!"

"Ignore him, he's intoxicated," Rei said. "We did miss you at dinner. Mina knocked on your door a few times but no one answered, so we thought you were sleeping or something."

"Or _somethin'_," Zach repeated, waggling his eyebrows.

"Actually, I was playing a game and Mamoru was reading. I guess we both zoned out." Usagi smiled apologetically before sitting down. "What are you guys doing out here?"

"Stargazing mostly," Ami answered, "but someone's been trying to goad us into playing Truth or Dare."

"Whaaat? I never said nothing 'bout paying no toad for truth order." The blonde giggled as Ami reached over to lift the bottle out of his hands, hiding it out of reach beneath her seat.

"I think you've had enough of this, and it's time for you to go to sleep." Zach stood up without protest and managed to make it inside without crashing into anything, but he came back a minute later, bag of pretzels in hand, and plunked into his chair.

" 'm not tired yet," he grinned. Ami groaned in defeat, but at least the bread product would sober him up.

When Mamoru also brought his leftovers outside he repeated the question Usagi had asked while having a seat beside her, and when Ami again answered "stargazing" he craned his neck back to take in the astounding view of the Milky Way. "I wonder what else is out there," he said quietly, blushing when he realized everyone heard. But Zach and the girls didn't make fun of him, they expounded on the subject instead. Their conversation ended well after midnight; everyone gathered their dishes and snacks and finally went to bed, but Usagi was wide awake, too hopped up on candy to open her DS again or focus on a fashion sketch.

Mamoru chuckled at the way she practically bounced around their room. "I know you're feeling restless Usako, but we're only a few days from Hawaii."

"I'm sorry Mamo-chan, I can't help it. Thinking about all the fun things we're going to do is making me stir-crazy!" She abruptly paused. "Do you think the water's too cold to swim in?"

"Um, yeah, I do. It's also dark and there could be jellyfish floating near the surface. And it's also raining."

"What, it is?" Usagi pressed her ear against the porthole and heard the soft pattering of raindrops. "Well there goes that plan." She fell back onto the bed and threw an arm across her face. "I'm so bored…" she said pitifully.

She felt Mamoru's weight beside her and uncovered one eye, seeing that he was opening an app on his phone. "Here, try this. I bet you'll be good at it."

Usagi rolled onto her stomach, gingerly accepting the device. "Blendoku?"

"It's not really like Sudoku, it's a game about color theory." He pressed the 'Easy' menu; only ten of the levels were colored. "As you can see, I haven't gotten very far. You just have to put the colors in the right order, but the layout changes sometimes." Usagi opened the first level and completed it in seconds, and the five after, and continued blazing through them in a manner that Mamoru found nothing short of remarkable. It was also fascinating to watch her non-linear thought process in action.

"I'm totally downloading this when we get to land," she grinned.

"If you like it then keep at it. I'm going to bed." After brushing his teeth Mamoru began changing into pajamas but faltered, wrinkling his nose at the fact that he could smell sweat escaping its deodorant barrier. _'Must be the humidity,'_ he reasoned, and decided to take a quick shower, making use of the all-natural body wash he'd purchased from a vendor at the farmer's market in San Diego, the same place he'd found the roses for Usagi. Since it was so warm he decided to skip pajamas altogether and stepped out of the bathroom in black boxers with the towel slung around his neck.

"M-Mamo-chan…" He glanced over to find Usagi's wide blue eyes fixated upon him, and the fact that she was blushing made him do the same in turn.

"Usako, I'm so sorry. I guess I've gotten a little too comfortable around you." He desperately sought his nightshirt, forgetting it was on the counter.

"No, it's… it's okay, Mamo-chan." She refocused on his phone. "We're in a tropical climate now, so you don't have to put on a bunch of stuff that'll make you overheat. I was just shocked that you're no longer, um…"

"Scrawny? Emaciated? Manorexic?" Usagi looked incredibly guilty, but Mamoru wasn't upset at all. "That's how I would have described myself last year."

"You're still thin, but you look kinda muscly now. I know there's a word for it…"

Her shyness made the boy grin. "Lithe. It's because I've been swimming regularly– I figured someone in that house should make use of the pool. And it feels good to do something with my body after a long day of sitting in the lab."

"In that case, I'm happy for you." Usagi checked the time on his phone and grimaced. She'd been awake for over twelve hours! When she stepped out of the bathroom in a comfy tank top and shorts featuring printed carrots, Mamoru released a bout of genuinely amused laughter. "What's so funny?" the girl demanded.

"Your PJs," he answered, recovering. "It's nice that I'm still surprised by you."

"Hey, it's not like we're an old married couple or something. I have _tons_ of surprises up my sleeves, just you wait." She made a small sound of superiority as she climbed over him to claim the wall side. Mamoru switched off the light above their heads, bathing the cabin in darkness. Now that silence reigned over the entire catamaran, Usagi could easily hear the rain sprinkling all around her. It was very soft and steady, not like the rain back home that got caught on tree branches before falling to the ground in irregular patterns. She focused on the sound, let it carry her to a state of total relaxation. There was nothing but the open ocean, its gentle waves, an endless sky… and the boy right behind her breathing deeply and rhythmically, as if he were already asleep. She rolled over and whispered, "Mamo-chan?"

"Mm?"

"Good night."

"Good night, Usako," he said lowly. Usagi shifted a little closer, sniffing the air, distinguishing the scents of oatmeal, shea, and a hint of cinnamon. Since she couldn't see at all, she didn't realize she was breathing on Mamoru's neck. "Usako…"

"What?" she whispered. Her top lip brushed his earlobe, sending a shiver down his spine and making him jump slightly. The girl instantly pulled back. "Sorry, Mamo-chan, but you smell so good. Is that your shampoo or something?"

"Body wash," he muttered. She gave a tiny "oh" and faced the wall once more. Mamoru only waited about twenty seconds before rolling onto his right side and slipping an arm beneath Usagi's pillow. His free hand fell tentatively on her hip, which he tugged with his fingertips. Without a word she scooted back, fitting her petite body against his lanky one, unflinching as his arm went over her waist. He found her fingers and entwined them in his own, noticing for the first time how thin and delicate they were.

She released a small sound of contentment that warmed him to the core. Their relationship had been advancing toward this kind of intimacy for months, and now that Mamoru experienced it he wasn't sure he could give it up. He wanted very much for Usagi to love him and let him love her in return, but he had to acknowledge that she was not Selene. There was no guarantee that she would feel the same emotions as her previous incarnation; after all, there was nothing forbidden or darkly romantic about a chance encounter between two college students. He knew that if she fell in love with him this time it would be because he was Mamoru, not Endymion. It was Mamoru she'd met at Amabie, Mamoru whose confidence she helped foster, Mamoru who believed her existence made the world a kinder, better place, though he had yet to tell her this.

Selene and Endymion were gone. Their time was over and their worlds had changed. Endymion believed it was for the worst but Mamoru felt the opposite. _"You don't have Selene,"_ the Prince said to him. _"You'll never be happy without her."_

_'I'd be happy if we stayed like this forever. Your princess was a scared little girl who ran and hid from the world. She never wanted to leave Elysium or you, and you were the only thing she cared about. My queen is brave, passionate, and the most selfless person I'll ever meet. She feels compassion for every living thing and is as much a part of this planet as I am. I would never choose who she used to be over who she is now.'_

Endymion scoffed at him and in answer Mamoru drew Usagi tighter against him. She moved a little and murmured his name, silencing the Prince for good. He knew she was dreaming about an Era, but not the one of Silver. It was their future, a shining, splendid one they would build so everyone could live blissfully. Mamoru could see it as clearly as crystal.


	24. Lights and Thunder

**Chapter Twenty-Four: Lights and Thunder**

Kaelan sailed into Honolulu extremely early in the morning, surprising everyone when they awoke to sandy shores, palm trees, cruise ships and luxury hotels. Sensibly, Ami wanted to find a visitor's center to get a thorough list of all the activities they could engage in, but pamphlets were no longer necessary in this day and age. And Zach had been to Hawaii already so he was like their built-in travel guide. "Family vacation when I was thirteen," he despondently explained.

"Was it bad?" Usagi inquired.

He released a long sigh. "The last time I was here I made _way_ too many questionable decisions, including this one." He turned around and lifted his shirt, exposing his lower back. Everyone leaned forward to better see the tattoo there.

"Is that a tramp stamp?!" Nicholas exclaimed so loudly that people from a nearby yacht glanced over. "How come I never saw this?"

"Because I wanted to hide it from the world forever. Why do you think I get dressed in the bathroom and always wear an undershirt?" His housemates made sounds of comprehension.

"Okay, but what is it?" Makoto asked.

"Sea turtle? Starfish? Manta ray? I have no clue, I just know that it's hideous and I'm going to get it lasered while we're here." Zach yanked his shirt back down before directing a scowl at the ocean.

Kaelan consolingly patted his shoulder. "Why didn't you have it removed when you got home?"

"Uh, because using needles to draw shitty artwork on thirteen year-olds is illegal," he said as if it were obvious. He began to walk off somewhere but Mamoru stopped him.

"Zach, we're not judging you," he reassured. "Lots of people have tattoos they regret. If you want to get it taken off right now, we'll go with you. Is that okay with everyone?" They nodded kindly. "It would be a good way for us to see some of the city, too. So where is this place?"

"Like I remember," he snorted. The truth was he hadn't received his mark of shame from a licensed parlor. He could practically hear the questions everyone wanted to ask him rattling around in their minds, and maybe once he put this accursed place behind him he would at least tell Ami the whole story. For now he endured Honolulu because his friends wanted to be here, and he took some solace at the fact that his reminder of the Worst Vacation Ever would soon be erased from his skin.

They found a place with framed business certifications and amazing works of art hanging on the walls, and even though it was only eleven o'clock the parlor buzzed with activity. "Hello and welcome," said the woman at the front counter. "How can we help you today?"

"Please get this thing off me." Zach flashed his undefinable sea creature and the receptionist grimaced.

"Oh, that's terrible. How long have you had this?"

He had to consider the math for a second. "Nine years."

"I'll make you an appointment right away to get that taken care of. Will your friends be staying?"

"No," Zach answered before any of them could say otherwise, facing them. "You guys go on. I need to deal with this eldritch abomination on my own."

"Are you _sure_ you don't want at least one of us to keep you company?" Mina asked.

"I'm sure. No one needs to sit around watching me wince and maybe cry a little. They say laser removal hurts worse than getting the actual tattoo." He shrugged off all the pitying looks he received. "Seriously, go have fun. Do all the touristy crap and buy souvenirs. I'll probably be back on the boat when you're done."

After their goodbyes were exchanged Ami hung at the rear of the group, staring at Zach through the window. The poor boy looked like he was preparing to face a firing squad and she really didn't want to leave him all alone.

"Hey, don't worry about it. He'll be fine." She glanced up into Joe's calm visage. "I had a tattoo removed once. One of the mechanics my dad hired gave it to me and it was complete garbage. The place I went used the glass method, where they put a microscope slide between your skin and the laser. I almost didn't feel a thing. I bet he won't either."

"But won't there be a big scar? Won't he have a recovery period?"

"It's not as if they're digging into his spine– he'll be able to walk around and such. But since it's on his lower back it'll probably hurt to sit upright. Is the hide-a-bed big enough for you two to stretch out on?"

"Yes…" Ami answered resignedly. During the trip here she and Zach had both sprawled in their sleep but barely invaded one another's space.

"So everything will be okay, then," Usagi said, looping her arm through Ami's and beaming at her. "Whatever we decided to do, we can do it again when Zach's better. That way he's not really missing out on anything!"

Makoto laughed a little. "Usa-chan, has anyone ever told you that maybe you're _too_ considerate?"

"Nope!" The sun was shining, the air was warm, and even though they were down one friend for the time being she knew they would all soon be having more fun than they could shake a stick at.

* * *

While Zach was out of commission they decided to hike Diamond Head and take in the substantial view of the southern end of Oahu. At the summit their phones came out in force (except for Rei's since she brought an actual digital camera) so there would be plenty of pictures to share with family and other friends. When they descended it was about two o'clock and time for lunch. In town they wandered aimlessly, hanging around the outskirts until locating a quaint seafood shack. It was extremely casual but practically on the beach, providing a fantastic view of breaching humpback whales. Thankfully they'd arrived at the islands just before the migration ended.

After lunch they simply went and sat on the sand, watching a windsurfing class not far offshore. "Anyone up for that tomorrow?" Mina asked, a hopeful glimmer in her eye. Kaelan, Joe, Makoto and Nicholas agreed to try it out. Mamoru, Usagi, Rei and Ami wanted to go hiking. With tentative plans established they returned to the harbor area, Kaelan directing everyone toward a bicycle and scooter rental shop. Joe griped that they didn't offer dirt bikes or quads since he actually knew how to ride those, but as he was the most mechanically inclined he mastered the Vespa in no time, circling his friends as they followed an instructor down a few blocks. Having never driven anything in their lives, Makoto and Usagi were very stop-and-go.

"Ugh, screw this," the brunette grumbled once they returned to the shop. She thanked the instructor for his time but surrendered the Vespa, throwing her leg over the seat behind Nicholas and wrapping her arms around his waist. Usagi reluctantly turned in her scooter as well, snuggling up to Mamoru's back in lieu of potentially crashing into something and having to make Kaelan pay for damages.

Now that they were mobile they decided to return to the catamaran, put on swim suits and hit the beach. Instead of hanging out on Waikiki they headed west to Kahala. The area was comprised of grandfathered bungalows on one side and new opulent mansions on the waterfront, and although they could see the ocean there didn't seem to be a way to access it without trespassing. Eventually they found what appeared to be an abandoned property; all that remained was a cement slab, tall grass and young trees. "Do you think we'll get yelled at for parking here?" Usagi wondered, glancing at the neighboring homes.

"I doubt it," Kaelan answered. "Maybe you haven't noticed, but almost all of you could be mistaken for locals. If anyone gets a stick up their bum about it just say you guys go to the university and I'm a friend visiting from the mainland."

"Works for me!" Nicholas cheered. He carried their cooler on one shoulder and a large umbrella on the other, blazing a trail through the overgrown shrubbery. Everyone made sounds of awe when they stepped onto the beach, kicking off their sandals in order to feel the fine, near-white granules beneath their feet.

"I'm _so_ glad you wanted to come here," Mina said, standing on her tiptoes to give Kaelan a kiss. He smiled contentedly in return, then they walked with their arms around one another's waists until finding the perfect half-shaded spot. "Oh yeah…" the blonde sighed when she had stretched out in the sun, "This definitely feels like paradise. Wake me up when it's time to leave." Usagi and Makoto plunged right into the water, the latter having to go quite a ways out before it even reached her chest. Once Ami and Rei finished applying sunscreen they went in too, the former drifting lazily on her back.

After Nicholas set up the umbrella he dug through his backpack for a tangerine and meticulously peeled it. "You guys ever notice how good our girls look?" he said to no one in particular.

"Mm-hmm," Joe agreed. "Other guys would kill to be us right now."

"We should make sure to keep an eye on them," Mamoru said quietly. "I don't think any of us should go anywhere alone."

"What about Zach?"

"He'll be okay, he's only a skip away from the cat." Kaelan stood up and rolled his shoulders, striding into the waves with Joe and Nicholas on his heels. The three of them instantly received splash attacks from the girls, inciting a water war that Mamoru laughed at before it died with a sigh.

Mina opened one of her light blue eyes to stare at him. "Don't be such a worry-wart, Mamoru-kun– this is _Hawaii_. You'll be much better off if you forget everything about our regular lives while we're here. Promise me you'll stop being such a dad for once and just cut loose and have some fun."

"I'll try," he guiltily replied. He couldn't shake the feeling that by being here he was shirking his duty, leaving Nia to face any Dark Cloud threats on her own. He would have felt better if he knew the true extent of her powers. During the awakening ceremony she made it sound like her strength was dependent on the Shitennou, but before that she had successfully fended off the minions of Eris on multiple occasions. Instinct also told him that the best time for the Dark Cloud to attack en mass would be upon their return, when the Shitennou were completely at ease and the five planetary guardians with them had yet to unleash their elemental prowess.

Still… Maybe he should take Minako's advice and focus on enjoying a vacation he probably wouldn't get to have for at least a few more years, when he finished interning and earned a lab technician's salary. But where in the world could he take Usagi that would compare to this? Peru? Ibiza? Bali? Morocco? It was probably arrogant for him to assume he'd even still be in her life by then. What if her fashion career took off and she made it big in New York, London or Tokyo? Luckily his chosen field was one that held demand all over the world, so he could go wherever Usagi went and live comfortably; he could even support her if she needed it. Of course, all these notions rode on the presumption that they would stay together. Their future wasn't certain just because they were soul mates.

About two hours into her lounge session, Mina heard a panting dog in addition to footsteps trudging through the sand. She sat up groggily and looked around, spying a woman and a shaggy Australian shepherd heading her way. "Hi there!" the woman called. Even though most of her face was obscured by sunglasses and a broad hat, her smile seemed to light up the entire beach.

"Hi," Mina greeted once the pair stopped a few feet from her towel. She was slightly remiss that all of her friends were still playing around in the water, but the woman and her dog weren't exactly menacing.

"How come you're not hanging out at the country club?"

It took her a moment to comprehend the question. "Oh, we're not from here. We're tourists, actually."

"Sorry, my mistake! I assumed you lived nearby because most visitors hang around Waikiki. They say this beach isn't as amazing, but you folks look right at home." She held out a hand. "I'm Hayley."

"Mina," she replied, and they shook. The dog licked her fingers as if to say "what about me?", making her laugh.

"Oh, how could I forget to introduce Charlie?" Hayley picked up a stick and hurled it into the waves, smiling at the way her companion went bounding after it. Once he had captured it he paddled over to Usagi and the others, soliciting cries of joy with his presence. "He's such a ham." Mina giggled at his antics as he led her friends back to shore. He shook mightily to dislodge the saltwater, then lay down at his mistress' feet and happily began shredding the stick. As soon as introductions were made Hayley's demeanor turned shy. "I hope I'm not being too forward with this, but I was wondering if you would all consider being my guests at a party tomorrow night."

The nine of them exchanged surprised glances. "A party for what?" Usagi asked.

"It's to celebrate the opening of a new gallery featuring local artists. Most of them are going to be there, and I do know a few of them, but I thought it'd be better to show up with my own entourage." Seeing that they still looked a little suspicious, Hayley sighed and lowered her head. "My ex is hosting the party– he's the one who funded the gallery. I think he only invited me so he can rub his success in my face."

"Sounds like he could stand to be taken down a notch," Kaelan declared. "We'd be glad to go with you. Where and what time is it?"

"Black Point, seven o'clock. His place is right next to Shangri La so you really can't miss it. There'll be lights and signs at the driveway." She gave them her contact info, smiling in relief. "Thank you so much. I can't promise there won't be any drama because you never know with artists, but I'm sure you'll blend right in. Come on, Charlie!" The dog hopped up and trotted down the beach as Hayley tossed them a wave.

Once she was out of earshot Nicholas was the first to say, "You sure about this?"

Kaelan nodded decisively. "Yeah, it'll be great. I've become an expert at mingling with strangers."

"Just because _you_ have doesn't mean the rest of us are," Mamoru stated. Rei and Ami nodded in agreement.

"Where's your sense of adventure, Mamo-chan? It's not every day we get invited to fancy parties in _Hawaii_." It shouldn't have been an effective argument but Usagi's tone was exactly the same as the one Mina had berated him with. He kept further logical protests to himself while they returned to the Vespas. Unfortunately they encountered traffic on the way to the marina, making it after six o'clock when they finally boarded _Saoirse_.

"Hey…" Zach greeted weakly from his face-down position on the couch. "How was your first day on Oahu?"

"It's not over yet," Joe grinned. "We still have to have dinner and you're coming with us." The blond boy groaned and pushed himself upright with one hand, the other holding an ice pack in place. "Let me see the damage." Zach slumped forward with another groan, sucking in a breath as the bandage was peeled off his skin. "Oh, not bad. It's almost completely gone."

"After my session tomorrow it will be."

Ami sat down beside him. "A local woman invited us to a party tomorrow night." She was going to ask if he thought he could make it, but Zach immediately paled and shook his head.

"Nuh-uh, no, don't do that." Everyone still in the main cabin paused to look his way. "Even though Hawaii is an official state it might as well be a different country. I'm not saying _all_ of the natives hate mainlanders, but a lot of them resent us for taking over their islands. They don't exactly have the best interests of tourists such as ourselves at heart."

"Zach, it's to celebrate a gallery opening. How nefarious could it be?"

"Nefarious enough if someone gets their hands on your identification!"

Ami tilted her head. "Is that what happened the last time you were here?"

"No, nothing so simple…" he muttered. "Look, if shit hits the fan while you're there, don't say I didn't warn you. At least we're leaving the day after, right?" Kaelan confirmed it. "What are you guys going to do until the party?"

"Some windsurfing, some hiking," Joe provided. Zach grumbled a little as Ami placed a hand on his knee.

"I'm going with you this time. You shouldn't be walking around after your treatment, anyway."

He opened his mouth to protest but closed it without saying a word; it was futile to argue with Ami. She allowed herself a victorious smile before going to take a shower and donning an outfit appropriate for a five-star restaurant. The one Kaelan had in mind wasn't that far from the marina, but even walking caused pain to shoot through Zach's lower back. Ami held out a hand to him and he took hold of it eagerly, all but leaning against her for support. The butterflies fluttering in his stomach _almost_ completely banished his anxiety at having to endure another round of laser treatment.

* * *

When the two groups returned to the catamaran after a long day of fun and exploration, they took turns telling stories and showing off photos of their adventures before dispersing to prepare for the party. "I can't believe we did all this on just one island," Makoto remarked to Nicholas as she decided on an outfit. "I hope the others aren't boring."

"All I know about Kauai is that there's a huge canyon you can hike," he said from the bathroom, "but it's called 'the garden island' so I assume there's lots of flowers and stuff." Upon styling his hair just-so he peeked around the corner at Makoto, watching a dreamy expression claim her countenance.

"Oh Nikko, do you know how amazing it would be if I could bring home an actual Hawaiian hibiscus or, _ooh_, a bird of paradise?"

He smiled. "I dunno about a whole plant, but you can probably get some seeds or bulbs." The girl sighed blissfully before giving herself a once-over in the closet mirror, adjusting her satin halter top and pulling down a miniskirt that may have been just a tad too mini. After Nicholas put on his best pair of jeans he came up behind her and fondled her hips, lowering his mouth to her ear. "Why I haven't seen you in this skirt before now?"

"Because it's Usagi's and I'm just borrowing it for tonight," she explained. It took a great amount of willpower not to let herself melt at his touch or indulge in the notion of collapsing onto the bed with him and forgoing the party altogether. Makoto had successfully abided by her good sense for the last four months, but every time Nicholas put his hands on her she crumbled a little more.

The party was hosted by one Duke Leon, a philanthropist who, like Kaelan, used his money to make people's dreams come true. By funding the gallery he was giving local artists the recognition they deserved, and with his wealthy connections he could get some of them featured in museums abroad. One young woman gushed to Rei and Joe about how she wanted to do a residency at the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, and she was overjoyed to learn that they both went to school in Seattle. They spent a good half hour describing what it was like to live there before she finally ran out of champagne and questions.

After snagging a new glass of bubbly the woman noticed Rei's camera dangling from her wrist. "Oh my god, Rei," she said, gesticulating way too much, "you _have_ to watch the sunset from here. Go out to the terrace and tell me it's not the _prettiest_ thing you ever saw. Take _tons_ of pictures."

"I'll do that, thank you." She and Joe gratefully made their way outside, away from the inebriated artists in the dining room. The terrace featured a large pool with an attached hot tub, a grilling area, and a set of lounge chairs situated beneath a pergola. There was also an outdoor bar providing cocktails for the people dancing around the DJ podium. Rei snapped a candid photo of Nicholas and Makoto grooving to tropical house music before turning her lens toward the magenta sunset and its reflection on the waves. She took a few pictures of Diamond Head and wandered down to the beach, pausing to capture the silhouette of a palm tree. She readied her camera while Joe approached the water to gaze across the ocean, sealing his image as well.

Mamoru sat at the kitchen island listening to Usagi and Mina's running commentary of the hors d'oeuvres, which they made sure to critique in Japanese lest they offend their host who stood near them conversing with Kaelan. "I was quite surprised to hear that the illustrious Kaelan Burke was coming to my little gathering," Duke remarked. "I'm honored to have you here, honestly." But he didn't mean a word of it. Burke was six years his junior, almost a billionaire, and beat him to a place on Forbes' 30 Under 30 list last year. Duke resented him to say the least; the only reason he tolerated the boy's presence was because he had shown up with an assortment of attractive young people in tow, which would make him look good in any "leaked" media coverage.

"Thank you," Kaelan replied. "I suppose I have your, erm… acquaintance to thank for inviting me and my friends."

Duke scoffed to himself, his mossy eyes glinting in the low lighting. "Hayley Mejia was my fiancée for a long time, much more than an acquaintance. It saddens me to hear her call me that… or even worse, her ex-boyfriend."

"What made you two break up?" Mina inquired.

The man focused on swirling the wine in his glass. "We stopped sharing the same dream– it's hard to be with someone who doesn't support what you're doing. I'm sure that's not an issue for the two of _you_, is it?" His envious eyes flicked between Kaelan and Mina as they shared a look containing admiration, respect, and thinly-veiled desire. His hand suddenly fell on the granite countertop, startling a few of his guests. "I'm off to join the fun outside. I hope you kids enjoy the food." He didn't have to turn back to feel the glares his condescending tone earned.

"Ah, here you are." Hayley glanced up in mild alarm before her visage steeled. Duke ignored it, slinging his arm over her shoulders. "I'm glad you could make it, and thanks for bringing me a veritable buffet."

"Don't get full of yourself, Leon," she returned. "Those girls aren't going to let you walk all over them."

He smiled crookedly. "No one can resist me with the right persuasion. Even _you_ gave in, darling." Hayley slapped his wandering hand and he chuckled lowly, confidently. "Because of you I still have a thing for brunettes. So tell me, what do you think of that one?" Duke pointed across the terrace to Makoto and Nicholas, who were too wrapped up in one another to notice anything else. "I love a woman with legs that go all the way up. Makes the fruit at the top even sweeter."

"You disgust me," Hayley spat, pushing herself away from the man. "I can't believe I used to…" He raised an intrigued eyebrow at that train of thought and laughed again, stopping to hear her darkly whispered words. "I don't think you noticed the storm rolling in. If you go after her, she'll kill you."

Yet again Duke ignored her, smirking in her face as he matched her tone. "Watch how easy it is for me to get what I want." With that he strode toward the DJ and motioned for him to cut the music. Everyone stopped dancing as it faded away, muttering their disappointment. "I'd like to thank everyone for coming out tonight," he announced, "but first you all need drinks so we can do this properly!" The hired bartenders whipped into action, dispensing beer, wine and cocktails almost as quickly as they were ordered. When Duke noticed that Makoto didn't have anything in her hand, he discreetly mixed something for her and added a little white tablet that quickly dissolved. "Can't leave Hawaii without having a real mai tai," he said to the girl, grinning when her date encouraged her to accept it. This was almost too simple.

"But I'm underage…" she protested.

"No one's going to bust you for having _one_ drink," Duke countered. He then held up his wineglass, dictating loudly so everyone could hear him. "To all the artists here tonight, thank you for allowing me into your lives. I can't wait to see the wonderful things you'll create, especially those of you who plan to study abroad. You'll all make the world a more beautiful place."

"Cheers!" they chorused, clinking glasses with their neighbors. Duke winked at Makoto as she took a long drink of her cocktail, and her boyfriend or whatever he was downed an entire bottle of hard lemonade. He had to hand it to the big guy for not knowing how to pace himself.

Duke watched the couple dance from afar, smiling triumphantly when the auburn-haired boy swayed too much and practically tripped over his own feet. He stumbled over to the lounge chairs, slumped into one, pressed a hand to his forehead with a groan. Duke crept up behind him and gave his occipital ridge a swift whack, instantly knocking him out. "Hey, you two!" he called to a pair of sculptors, "Can you bring this poor guy inside? Looks like he couldn't hold his liquor." They did as instructed, then Duke swaggered up to Makoto who seemingly hadn't noticed the absence of her partner. "How did that drink taste?"

"It was _sooo_ good," she fawned, grinning lazily at him. Her eyes remained closed as she continued moving to the music, rather like kelp swaying with the ocean waves. It had been Duke's experience that women who danced well were fantastic in bed. The anticipation of conquering this girl already had him aroused, but he had to take her someplace her friends wouldn't find her. "Hey, where's Nikko?" she suddenly inquired.

Perfect. "He's checking out my yacht with your friend Kaelan. Kid loves his boats, doesn't he?" Duke grabbed her arm and walked her toward his private dock.

"Yeah, he _loves_ his catamaran. He'd probably live on it if he didn't have such an _awesome_ house."

"Oh yeah? Tell me about it." Since Makoto was so unsteady the man picked her up and carried her onto his vessel. She didn't even notice the change of scenery as she babbled about decorating Burke's home with her best friend. Duke left her on a couch, started the motor and sailed around the crater to the waters off Waikiki. He stopped near a chartered boat exuding the sounds of a spring break celebration and dropped anchor before returning to the sitting area where he found the girl dragging the back of her hand across the cushions.

"This is _sooo_ soft, Mr. Leon. What _is_ this?"

"Microfiber, darling." He really liked hearing his name pass her lips, but he liked the look of her legs even more. That little berry-colored skirt was the only thing dampening his view.

Makoto closed her eyes while rubbing herself all over the sofa. It felt so soft against her skin and the way her head spun made it seem as if she were floating on a cloud in the sky. She really didn't want the sensation to end… but something rough brushed her skin and ruined her journey. With great effort she peeled her eyes open and frowned at the way Duke Leon ran his lips and stubbly chin along her leg. This wasn't something she wanted to feel; Nicholas was the only one whose hands she wanted on her body. She struggled to sit upright and scoot away from the man, her vision swimming as she tried to discern her surroundings. "Nikko? Nikko? Where are you?" she called. She didn't see him anywhere. The only other person in existence right now was Duke Leon, but the way he looked at her, _leered_ at her, made her stomach churn. "Where's my boyfriend?" Makoto demanded. "Where's Nicholas?"

"I bet you feel as high as a kite right now," Duke answered with a smirk. "It feels even better when someone's fucking you." He pounced and Makoto screamed, flailing her feet but unsuccessfully striking him since she was incredibly disoriented. He managed to take hold of her wrists, trapping her in the deep sofa cushions. Adrenalin flooded her veins, banishing most of the effects of whatever drug was in her system, and years of training kicked in as she retaliated by fiercely head-butting the man. Duke recoiled with a cry as blood spurted from his nose; he fell to the floor and the girl was on him in an instant, delivering quick punches to the rest of his face. Her sixth hit was stopped by a force that threw her across the room and into a wall, leaving her dazed.

Duke struggled to his feet while trying to staunch the flow of blood. "That really hurt, you _fucking_ bitch. Do you _know_ who I am?"

She shakily stood up, cracked her knuckles, and copied a page from his book by sneering at him. "Yeah, I know who you are– some guy who's going to get his ass beat." She flew toward him, ready to take his head off with a spinning kick, but she was unexpectedly halted by an invisible barrier. Duke held up a hand, staring at her with no expression on his face, and the next moment the girl crashed through a bay window onto the deck of the yacht. Rain assailed her, soaking her clothes in seconds and dragging strands of hair into her eyes. Makoto realized she couldn't move a muscle; the rain had paralyzed her. She just stood there like a statue as Duke Leon regarded her appraisingly, placed a finger beneath her chin and came within centimeters of her lips. He stayed there for an infuriatingly long minute, and when he pulled away there was still no sign of what he was feeling.

"It's fascinating, really…" he softly remarked, "You never stopped being a warrior. Even in this life you chose to pursue a martial art so you could defend yourself—"

"From pieces of shit like you!" Makoto shouted. "What did you do to me?!"

The man only stared at her. Rivulets of water ran down her muscle definition. Her chest rose and fell rapidly as her heart sent angry blood coursing through her veins. Her fingers were curled into fists that longed to pummel him. He knew he deserved it; after all the despicable acts he'd committed, he definitely deserved to die. Thunder rumbled above him as if in confirmation; Duke sighed and waved his hand, releasing the girl from stasis. "Who am I, Makoto?" he asked. She glared as an answer. "Tell me who I am. _Tell me!_"

Another echo of thunder drowned out his cry. It shook Makoto to her very core, dislodging memories from the deepest recesses of her mind. The topaz above her heart thrummed in response to the storm; with every pulse she felt raw elemental power surge throughout her body, increasing her desire to rend the man limb from limb for what he tried doing to her. The energy finally became too much for her to withstand and she screamed as it tore through her, a silent sound accompanied by a bolt of white-hot lightning that shot up into the sky. Although Duke closed his eyes he could see the girl illuminated before them. The wild sparks shooting off her burned his retinas, leaving so many after-images he couldn't orient himself.

Finally, blessedly, the tempest dissipated. Duke blinked rapidly to focus on the scorched deck he had fallen to, but then a hand closed around his neck and lifted him into the air. He laughed despite the seething glare he received from the women in green and gold. "Tell me why, Deucalion," she demanded.

"This was supposed to be revenge for my family. The Jovians took _everything_ from me when King Keraunios turned on Saturn after defeating the Lunar Empire. Your weapons _destroyed_ Enceladus. Only a handful of us managed to climb the highest peak– everyone else drowned in the floodwaters, including my wife and children." Not even a hint of regret showed on her visage, enraging the man. He clawed at her fingers but they were protected by thick gauntlets. "I waited centuries for this! The Dark Cloud Empire said I possessed enough fury to defeat you! God _damn_ you, Nemesis!"

"They were wrong," she said simply, "and I pity you for falling in with them." She released him, smirking at the way he faced her as if he still had a fighting chance. "I am the embodiment of vengeance. _No one_ has the strength to defeat me, especially a pathetic little man like you." Deucalion roared and launched himself at her, but he only ended up in her grip once more, raging and cursing as her fingers curved over his face. "I'll send you to your family now."

Nemesis extended her other arm toward the sky, calling down a lightning bolt that she channeled into the man. He didn't even have time to scream before his body was obliterated, every cell that formed him vanishing from existence. She summoned more lightning to destroy the yacht as well, reveling in the sensation of molecules splitting apart all around her. When it was gone she fell into the water, relinquishing her celestial power and allowing the waves to gently carry her where they willed. _'I'll save you, Nikko'_ was the last thought Makoto had before she slid into unconsciousness.


	25. Emotions in Motion

**Chapter Twenty-Five: Emotions in Motion**

"What the hell was that?" Zach pushed himself upright so he could better see out the window.

"Just some lightning," Ami said from the kitchenette. She finished scooping ice cream into two bowls and returned to the couch, handing one to the boy. It was kind of nice having the catamaran all to themselves; with the rain outside and a movie playing on the TV, it felt just as cozy as home.

"That seemed like more than a lightning flash…" He slid off the sofa and achingly went outside, watching the party boat come into the marina with its motors on full blast and its passengers in an uproar. His gaze slid eastward to a yacht that was literally there one second and gone the next. He didn't see exactly what happened because he closed his eyes to a lightning strike that seemed close enough to touch, yet no thunder followed. "Yeah, that's not normal." He headed straight for the stairs leading up to the wheel.

Ami appeared as soon as he turned the key in the ignition. "What are you doing?"

"I'm not taking it very far out," the boy reassured. He switched on all the outboard lights to illuminate their surroundings, slowly backing the cat out of its berth. "This thing makes me miss my trimaran."

"I'm sure you'll get the chance to sail one if Kaelan doesn't end up murdering us!"

He waved off her concern. "I have a weird feeling, Ami. Will you please go to the bow and tell me if you see anything?" She folded her arms while deciding if the look of concern on his face was genuine. "Please?" he asked again, his tone just shy of begging.

She acquiesced, leaning over the railing to survey the waters. The lights occasionally glinted off scales of small fish and she thought she could see some spinner dolphins playing in the distance, but there was nothing suspicious until she began swiveling the spotlight and its beam landed on a human arm. The shriek she released instantly made Zach pulled back on the throttle. "Find something?" he called.

"Oh my god, it's Makoto!" A chill went through the boy; he barely heard the splash as Ami dove overboard. Zach opened the cockpit's window and slid down the slope, landing on the narrow walkway connecting the pontoons. He tossed a life ring, pulling Makoto around to the steps once she was secure. The two of them dragged her onto the deck where Ami administered CPR. She coughed up a substantial amount of water before taking deep, shuddering breaths, shivering so violently her teeth chattered. "What happened to you?!" Ami cried. "How did you get out here?!"

"The others…" she stammered, "they m-might b-b-be in danger."

"Pretty sure that only applies to you," Zach stated. He put one of Makoto's arms around his shoulders in an attempt to get her inside, but she was basically dead weight and it took Ami's help just to bring her to the couch. The boy looked away while Ami peeled off her soaked clothes and covered her with a blanket. Eventually Makoto's jaw stopped trembling and she breathed normally, slipping into slumber. Ami then faced Zach with wide eyes. He'd never seen her so rattled and knew she hoped he had the answers to her questions, but he couldn't give them. "I think we should just let her rest," he decided. "I'll get us back to the marina."

The girl nodded absently, burying her face in her hands. Her knowledge of basic first aid clashed with her imagination as the worst-case scenario played out, turning her typically logical mind into a maelstrom of emotions. She ended up crying them out all at once, a veritable river streaking down her cheeks and into the blanket encapsulating Makoto. It dawned on her that she had jumped into the same cold seawater and was likely doing her friend more harm than good by smothering her. _'Get up,'_ she told herself. _'Take a hot shower. Change your clothes.'_ That gave her something to focus on, helped her calm down.

Ami wasn't sure how long she took but when she returned from getting dressed Makoto was not on the couch, or anywhere in the cabin for that matter. "Mako-chan?" she called.

"Down here!" She cautiously peered into the girl's room to discover her putting on jeans and a clean shirt. Makoto grinned at her as if there was nothing weird about this whole situation, making Ami question her sanity. "I need you to run me back to the party, if that's okay. I have to check on everyone and… take care of some things."

"Um, okay…" In a slight daze Ami returned upstairs. Just when Makoto appeared both girls were pitched sideways as the catamaran bounced off the dock's rubber bumper.

"Crap!" Zach yelled from above them, descending a moment later. "Sorry about that, I didn't think I had to swing this thing wider than a Cadillac." His attention fell on the brunette and he frowned. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Wherever I want," she shot back. "Are you going to stop me?"

He shook his head, glancing at Ami. "I'm taking her to the others," she said meekly.

"Is that wise?"

"If I'm not there they'll wonder what happened to me."

Zach exploded. "Makoto, _we_ wonder what happened to you! Do you even realize that we found you floating in the _middle_ of the _ocean?!_ You were practically dead!" A dark look crossed her visage, letting him know that things would not end well for him if he challenged her, and he held up his hands. "You know what, it's cool. Go back to the place that obviously fucked you up somehow. Whatever's there must be really important."

"Our _friends_ are there," she icily returned. "Excuse me for caring about them more than myself."

"Screw you," Zach muttered. As soon as the girls left he picked up Makoto's satin halter top, finding it peppered with hundreds of tiny blackened holes. It also smelled like ozone, the acrid tang confirming his suspicions: Nemesis was awake. She had been one of the scarier warrior-princesses of the Silver Era because she possessed a volatile personality as unpredictable as the weather of her planet. Makoto seemed to have been reborn with it which made Zach worry greatly for Nicholas. He sincerely hoped she wasn't planning to wreak unwarranted retribution upon his friend.

* * *

"Thanks, Ami-chan!" Makoto gave her a wave before heading into the waterfront mansion. Ami watched her nervously, wondering if she should stay to check up on everyone else or return to Zach as the brunette suggested. She was still extremely confused by this sequence of events but knew Makoto was more than capable of handling things on her own, whatever that entailed. Maybe she had just fallen off a boat and everyone else was so hyped up they didn't notice. Clinging to that explanation, Ami headed back to the marina.

Makoto found her friends easily since most of them were talking and laughing with the artists inside. _'Who's going to sponsor them now that Deucalion is dead?'_ She felt a twinge of guilt at that, but definitely no remorse for killing him. She slowly wandered from room to room until her eyes landed on the person she sought. Hayley was speaking to a tall, tanned man with curly dark hair. Makoto marched right up to her and grabbed her arm. "Who are you and what are you scheming?" she lowly demanded.

Hayley looked astonished before relief came over her. "You did it, didn't you? You erased Deucalion from the world."

"So you're a Dark Cloud minion as well," she confirmed. "Did you lure us here in hopes that he'd kill us?"

"No, I lured you here in hopes that one of you would kill _him_."

Makoto faltered at that, loosening her grip on the woman. "Why?" she whispered. "Why would you conspire against one of your own?"

"Because I asked her to." She spun around to face the tall man whom she had completely ignored. Standing right in front of him made her realize he was an older version of Deucalion; he had the same Grecian features but his green eyes were full of compassion instead of arrogance. "He was my son," the man explained. "He defected to the Dark Cloud after his planet became a casualty of the war. He spoke of nothing but revenge against you and your allies."

"Prometheus wanted me to console Duke, to sooth his angry heart," Hayley added, "but even after several thousand years his desire for vengeance couldn't be placated." She glanced up at her companion somewhat regretfully. "When he joined Eris' regime, we knew it was time to… put him down."

The man nodded resolutely. "His behavior over the last couple centuries certainly resembled that of a wild dog. I thank you, Nemesis, for letting him rest."

_'Is that my name now?'_ Makoto wondered. Although she understood exactly what they were telling her, it seemed like the words flowed right through her brain into someone else's comprehension. She shook her head and held out a hand. "I'm Makoto Kino." It was more of an affirmation than an introduction. "If Deucalion is dead… what will happen to the artists?"

"Where do you think his money came from?" Prometheus returned, smirking a little while he shook Makoto's hand. "I'll make sure to finish what he started. Call me Peter Mathis, by the way." He then glanced around and lowered his voice even more. "I know I can't apologize for what my son put you through, but I have a favor to ask of you and your allies." Makoto raised an eyebrow. "Please put an end to Eris and her minions. I can't bear to watch more innocent people get hurt by her actions. Only those of you reborn from the Silver Era have the power to stop her."

"Why can't _you_ do something about her?"

Prometheus smiled sadly. "The only thing we are blessed with is long life spans. We managed to survive that era and adapt to the rapid changes of this one, but _you_ were chosen by higher powers to protect Mar Serenitatis. That is your destiny."

"I see… In that case, I'll face the Dark Cloud will all my might to ensure peace on this planet."

"Thank you, Makoto," Hayley said, bowing slightly before her. "You are just as brave as Nemesis."

She left them with a nod and went to the kitchen where some of her friends were. "Have any of you seen Nikko?" Mina, Mamoru and Usagi shook their heads, though the girls had drank way too much wine and probably wouldn't remember where he was even if they had seen him. To that end Makoto searched the mansion room by room, running into Kaelan along the way. They came upon Nicholas' unconscious form in a darkened study, where he lay on a sofa.

"Hey big guy, wake up." Kaelan patted his face until his brown eyes fluttered open. "You all right?"

"My head kills," he groaned. He looked to both of them for an answer; his girlfriend glanced away, ashamed she had let Deucalion get to him.

"I'll go find Joe and Rei so we can all head home." Kaelan left and Makoto sat on the edge of the sofa, placing a tentative hand on Nicholas' cheek.

"I'm sorry he hurt you," she said quietly. "I made sure he'd never be able to harm anyone again."

"Whaddya mean?"

"I… obliterated him." She kept waiting for some kind of remorse to set in, some guilt for the utterly savage manner in which she destroyed Deucalion, but she felt nothing and that frightened her. Makoto stared down at Nicholas, at Nephrite, who had also been destroyed by the power Nemesis commanded. She couldn't remember which of them attacked first in Elysium, but it didn't really matter since they had both died because of her. What if she lost control again? What if she killed him again?

She kept thinking about it as she rode with Rei back to the marina. Joe and Kaelan carried Nicholas onto the boat and into his room, Zach's gaze following them worriedly. "I'm sorry for what I said earlier," Makoto said to him. "I know you care, especially about Nikko."

"Yeah, well, if you really do too, then make sure not to lose your head. You'll regret it if you do." His words were deadly serious and made a nervous lump form in her throat that she struggled to swallow. The boys likely knew everything– who she really was, what she'd done, what devastation she was capable of causing…

Makoto went into the bathroom to stare at herself in the mirror. Her eyes were turning red from the effort of withholding tears, but they looked the same otherwise; she couldn't see any trace of Nemesis' apathetic attitude toward killing. _'Have I always been like her? Have I never truly cared about hurting people?'_ Lord knew she'd maimed Usagi's feelings plenty of times in the past. The remarks just rolled off her tongue so easily, blasting her friend's confidence like well-placed dynamite. But she hadn't said anything like that since their apartment was broken into. She'd always known it was wrong to keep holding Usagi's mistakes over her head, especially since she'd learned and grown from them. Why could she be a better person like Usagi, or any of their other friends for that matter? _'Maybe they're not my friends at all. Maybe they're potential victims.'_

"Mako? You in there?" She gasped at the knock that came at the door having forgotten her boyfriend existed on the other side. That thought sent her even deeper into despair, pushed her tears over the edge. She failed to stifle a sniffle and slumped to the floor as Nicholas opened the door a crack. "What's wrong?"

"Me. I'm what's wrong." The boy stepped inside and sat down opposite her. His eyes were full of concern but he didn't say anything just yet, letting her words come. "Something _happened_, Nicholas. I don't think I can be with you anymore."

"What makes you say that?" he calmly inquired.

"I'll hurt you! It won't be on purpose but… but someday you'll say or do something I don't like, that _she_ doesn't like, and I'll just… end you!"

He allowed her to sob for a minute before reaching for one of her hands. "Are you talking about Nemesis?" Makoto glanced up in shock, eyes red and puffy and full of self-loathing. "I've known about her for a while. There's some stuff going on right now, bad stuff we've all been dragged into. I think you're the first one to wake up. How much of the past do you remember?"

"Everything, Nicholas!" she cried. "I remember absolutely _everything!_ My kingdom, my parents, the Dark Cloud threats, the war against Terra, Elysium…" She shuddered at the images. "I know who I was and what I did. I killed hundreds of Terrans, hundreds of innocent people who had no idea why we were even there! I thought I was exacting vengeance on the ones that wanted to hurt Selene and ruin the Alliance, but I just… _murdered_ them." Makoto looked him right in the eye. "And then I murdered _you_."

Nicholas shook his head. "We're different people now, both of us. I'm not Nephrite and you're not Nemesis. The past is in the past and that's where it'll stay." He shifted to his knees and held her face in his hands, brushing her tears with his thumbs. "I knew you were Nemesis reborn but I still wanted to be with you. I knew she would wake up eventually, that her spirit would become part of yours. It never occurred to me that you'd hurt me after it happened. I knew you _could_ hurt me if you wanted, but I trusted you would never find reason to because you'd be happy with me."

"Oh Nikko, I _am_ happy with you! The time we've spent together means everything to me!" Her gaze fell to the floor. "But I'm afraid of myself now. I'm afraid of the way Nemesis' spirit feels satisfied by destroying things. I don't know if I can live with that!"

He gave a small smile. "So you're scared you'll just randomly call down a lightning bolt and turn me to dust, huh? I know for a fact there're some magic words you have to say first." Her brow furrowed in confusion. "You girls can't use your powers to their full extent in regular form, but _we_ can."

"Who's 'we'?"

"Me, Mamoru, Zach, Kaelan and Joe," Nicholas answered. "Here, I'll show you." He moved away from her, held out a hand and snapped his fingers. Makoto's jaw dropped in amazement as a little flame sparked to life in his palm, and with a meager amount of concentration he made it jump between his fingertips.

"That's amazing! How are you doing this?"

"I guess it's because fire is under my domain. I'm Zojo, lord of the south."

The girl tilted her head. "One of the Four Heavenly Kings? That's a Buddhist concept."

"Well now it's reality," he said, grinning. "None of this changes how I feel about us. You're a goddess reborn, I'm a god in the making, I'd say that means we belong together." Nicholas curled his fingers around the flame to extinguish it, then Makoto placed her palm in his. She could feel the strength of his element flowing throughout every fiber of his being, a primordial force of nature that only came forth when he demanded it. "I promise I'll never hurt you with this fire," he said as if reading her mind.

"Maybe I want you to… just a little bit." The intensity in her eyes set his pulse racing. "I want to know how it feels to be consumed by you."

* * *

It took less than a day to sail to Kauai, but because Kaelan was mildly hungover he didn't get up in a timely manner and they arrived at the island in the early afternoon, though there was still plenty of daylight for them to do a bit of exploring. After checking in with the Nawiliwili Harbor office he returned to _Saoirse_, addressing his friends with the authority of a drill sergeant. "All right everyone, I'm about to go rent a couple Jeeps for the day so we can check out Waimea Canyon. We're _all_ going, no exceptions." He gave Zach a stern look as the boy mumbled something derogatory. "After that I was thinking we could do a hike on the Napali Coast or head back around the island to Wailua, so decide what you want to do while Joe and I are out."

"I guess someone should wake up the chefs first," Mina remarked when they left. "No nose goes!" Usagi lost because she was engrossed by her DS, glancing up to find everyone staring at her with smiles on their faces. Of course she didn't mind barging in on her best friend since Makoto did it to her all the time back home, but getting woken up when she didn't want to be was made considerably less annoying when presented with delicious waffles. Usagi reasoned she could tempt Makoto out of bed with the promise of being surrounded by native foliage.

"Mako-chan, Nikko-kun, time to rise and shine…" She opened the door just enough to peek inside, her attention immediately falling on bare skin illuminated by the porthole. It wasn't a big deal to see her best friend naked but she never imagined stumbling upon Nicholas in the same condition. She released a shriek of embarrassment and fled back to the main cabin, though the noise successfully roused the couple from slumber.

A few minutes later they appeared fully clothed, Makoto running a brush through her long tangled hair. "What's going on? You scared us, Usa-chan."

"I'm sorry Mako-chan, but I saw Nikko's butt. Forgive me." She looked so ashamed that Makoto just had to laugh.

"Unfortunately we see him in such a state all the time," Mamoru remarked, indicating Zach. "He seems to have no problem sleeping and walking around in the nude." Nicholas only shrugged because it was true.

When Kaelan and Joe returned everyone piled into the two Jeep Wranglers with soft tops removed so they could enjoy an unimpeded view of Kauai's interior mountains drenched in every shade of green imaginable. Near the actual town of Waimea they stopped to check out the Captain Cook monument before continuing onward and upward. The asphalt gradually turned red due to washout from the canyon's alkaline soil. Joe intentionally steered his Jeep through puddles collected in the pull-off areas, splashing red mud all over the white fenders and soliciting excited yelps from his passengers, which he found amusing because this was _nothing_ compared to an actual off-road adventure. Rei answered his phone when it rang. "Tell him to knock that shit off unless he wants to reimburse me for violating the rental contract," Kaelan growled. She relayed the message, then Joe stuck his arm up through the roof and flipped him the bird.

Everyone murmured in approval when they reached the canyon's scenic viewpoint. Red rock clashed with bright green shrubbery, creating a lovely backdrop for their group photo. From this high up they could also see the neighboring island of Niihau which they would not be visiting, instead backtracking to Molokai. While almost everyone went off on short trails to explore the sides of the canyon, Mamoru and Usagi sat on a rock sharing a snack. The girl turned to grab her phone for a few more pictures and when she looked back at Mamoru she found him sitting perfectly still, for a little sparrow had landed in his palm to pick out sunflower seeds from the trail mix. After a minute of them both sitting like statues a few more birds appeared in addition to a chipmunk, climbing all over the boy as if he were the stone itself.

Usagi really wanted to take a picture but knew she couldn't move without scaring the animals away. From the corner of her eye she saw one couple return, their mouths agape as they fell utterly silent. Rei lowered to one knee and angled her camera at them, giving Usagi a thumbs-up once she had immortalized the scene. When Mamoru finally released his pent-up breath the creatures scattered, but not in fright. "That was one of the coolest things I've ever seen," Joe said to them. He didn't have to ask how it happened because he knew Mamoru was intrinsically connected to all life on the planet; the animals trusted him as their steward. "Rei, you should definitely submit that picture to National Geographic or something."

"Maybe I will," she smiled.

They returned to the Jeeps and headed back around the island to Wailua River State Park for some hiking. "This place is just too beautiful," Mina remarked, turning every-which-way with her phone to take it all in. She gasped as she suddenly found herself high in the air atop Kaelan's shoulders, the new viewpoint allowing her to capture even better photos. Nicholas did the same with Makoto, achieving a combined height of about nine feet and giving her access to some of the flowering trees. She didn't pick anything, just held up a hand to feel leaves and blossoms against her fingertips. "There's the fall!" Mina pointed across the wall of shrubbery to a white cascade tumbling from mossy rocks, its spray sending ripples across a perfect reflection of the sky and scenery.

Everyone gathered at the top and the boys quickly stripped down to their underwear, each one whooping as they jumped into the pool without any hesitation. "It's like they're part of a hive mind or something," Usagi remarked, giggling at their antics. "They all seem to know what the others are going to do without even saying anything."

"I think that just makes them predictable," Ami said, stepping gingerly out of her shorts and neatly folding her shirt atop them. She had actually worn her Herve Leger monokini under her clothes for an event such as this. Zach kept his eyes glued to her as she stepped onto the highest rock, her toes curling over the edge. She swung her arms back, then pushed off in a perfect swan dive, her friends applauding when she surfaced. He felt a pang of sadness at having missed the opportunity to sketch such a beautiful pose.

None of the girls followed Ami since they were a bit apprehensive about strangers potentially seeing them in their bras and panties even though they hadn't encountered anyone else on the trail leading to the falls. "I will give each of you one hundred dollars if you all jump in," Kaelan said in a completely serious tone.

"Sold!" Usagi declared. She stood proudly in her lacy white undergarments, grinning at the boys' whistles and cheers before pinching her nose and cannon-balling into the water. Mina was next, assuming the pre-race stance she used while on the swim team with Ami. It made her friend smile to see that her form was still perfect. After a moment she launched forward, diving in with a minimal splash. She surfaced near Kaelan and beamed at the way he regarded her in wonder; even after half a year she was still surprising him. The pair swam behind a large vine-draped boulder in order to indulge the magnetic attraction between them, Kaelan digging his toes into the soft mud and leaning back as Mina pressed into him.

It was impossible for them to kiss chastely. One peck always led to at least ten more and then a lengthy make-out session followed by multiple bouts of sex. During the first few months of their relationship Kaelan suffered crippling self-esteem at his inability to match Mina's ridiculous stamina, falling asleep after two rounds of loving her, but over time his endurance had increased and he could give her what she wanted whenever she wanted it. Time had also revealed that Mina greatly enjoyed pillow-talk. She liked relaying information acquired from her classes, she told him things she'd never shared with anyone else, and she appreciated that he never patronized her emotions. She liked that Kaelan was a man with real goals and the courage to go after them, not a boy without any aim in life. She liked that he acknowledged she was her own person, not someone he felt the need to change. And she liked that each time he looked at her he seemed a little awe-struck, as if he found her more beautiful with every passing day.

"I don't deserve you," Kaelan muttered, interrupting their kissing.

"Why would you say that?" Mina asked in bewilderment.

He kept his eyes on the water grazing her sports bra. "I don't know… I guess it just sunk in that you willingly crossed an ocean with me to explore a place we've never been. And you don't feel any doubt that I'll get us all home safely."

"So you find it odd that I have faith in you?"

"Yeah, a little. At this exact time last year I was up to my shoulders in stinking fish guts. I had no plans for the future– hell, I had no plans for the next _day_ except to down a few beers after work. I was just thinking about how surreal my life has become. I came to Hawaii on my huge, gorgeous boat. Tomorrow morning I'm going to wake up to a gorgeous woman in my bed." Mina felt warmth surge through her at that. "And when we leave this place I'll be returning to my huge, gorgeous mansion and wake up beside you in _that_ bed as well." He shook his head in denial. "I'm trying to figure out what I did to deserve all this."

"I think it's just fate, hon," Mina said with a smile. She then wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him tightly. "Accept this is what the universe had planned for you."

"Mm… all right." Kaelan buried his nose in her hair, noting the earthy freshwater scent mixed with her strawberry shampoo. "That means the universe planned for us to meet and for me to…" He trailed off and she pulled back with a frown, then he inhaled deeply. "I'm unreasonably in love with you, Mina."

"You… what?"

"I said I love you." His features stayed neutral as hers shifted to shock. "Unreasonably so."

"What does that even mean… you love me unreasonably?" That four-letter word filled her with a mixture of joy and dread.

Kaelan glanced skyward while debating whether or not to tell her the truth. Honesty was the best policy, of course. "I've been considering asking you to marry me since New Year's."

Mina could only gape uselessly as she stared into his sincere visage. He wanted to _marry_ her? Like, devote the remainder of his life to her marriage? "W-wait, Kaelan, hang on a sec…" She shouldn't have tried speaking when her brain was going a million miles a minute. "We can't get married, I still have a degree to earn!"

"I know that. I'm willing to wait." He prayed to all the gods his confession hadn't triggered Mina's flight instincts. Women like her wanted to be free, not tied down just as they were beginning to make their own way through life. At the same time he felt immensely relieved to have finally gotten that proclamation off his chest. He was prepared to give her time to consider his proposal, but honestly he'd be heartbroken if she outright refused him now.

Thankfully she didn't. "Kaelan, that's… that's a big life step for both of us, a _huge_ step. I just… I had no idea you were going to say something like this or that you'd even been thinking about it!" She put a hand on her cheek while staring right through his chest. "I never thought anyone would want to marry me. No one's even told me they loved _me_, just… my body." But not Kaelan Burke; the look in his eyes confirmed he really did love all of her. The problem Mina struggled with was that she didn't know if her feelings for him were exactly the same, because if they weren't then it didn't make sense to stay with him for another second. She admired and appreciated and trusted him, but did that all equate to love? She finally met his gaze. "Kaelan, did you bring me here to propose?"

"No, I didn't. I don't even have a ring or anything. I just…" He nervously mussed his hair. "I wanted to tell you how I really felt and this place is fairly romantic so it just kind of came out. I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Mina said kindly. "I'm not mad or anything, I'm… amazed, really." She gave him a half-smile. "I wish I could sort out my emotions as effortlessly as you, but… can you let me think on it? At least a few days?" He nodded. "Okay. Then I'm going to sleep with Ami tonight."

* * *

Who the hell actually said things like that, candidly and without any prelude whatsoever? Who the hell knew they really wanted to be tied down at such a young age? _'He's five years older than you,'_ Mina reminded herself. 'He has an empire to run. Why does he even want to marry me when he has so much on his plate?' Was he getting bored? Did he want to spend money on married-couple things instead of sinking it into project after project? Did he need her help somehow? Maybe Kaelan wanted her to be the queen of his empire. Maybe he wanted an heir or two to entrust it to. Well, the joke was on him since she hadn't had a period since Halloween and was basically infertile for the time being.

Mina hadn't shared any of this with Ami yet because she and Zach were reading a comic together, smiling, snickering and giggling at each page. They were totally spooning too, which still made no sense to Mina because her bestie didn't even like hugging people. "What's the deal with you two? Are you dating?" They faced her simultaneously. Zach rested his chin on Ami's upper arm, slipped an arm around her waist, and gave the blonde a hint of a possessive smirk. He knew she was jealous that Ami had turned to him for attention and interaction since losing her to Kaelan.

"Of course we're not dating," the brown-eyed girl laughed.

"It sure seems like it," Mina returned. "Why do you find that funny?"

She bit her lip and turned toward Zach. "You should tell her."

"Nah, you can do it."

"Are you sure?" She felt a little guilty for sharing a secret that didn't belong to her, but he only smiled reassuringly. "Mina-chan, Zach is gay."

"What?!" she snorted. "No he isn't! No way!" Although, it made a lot of sense if Ami actually believed that: she thought it was safe to be intimate with him because he wasn't sexually attracted to her. Mina swore she could see a glimmer of lust in the boy's eyes, right alongside his smug confidence that Ami would dismiss her best friend's opinion of him. She knew he had played the part so well for so long that nothing she said would sway her friend's belief, especially since she had ample evidence of his purported non-interest in her by now.

"Um, yeah way. I bet I've had more dick than you," Zach said with a wink. Ami made a face and gave his arm a light slap to which he responded by kissing her shoulder apologetically, eyes closed as his lips sampled her skin.

_'Ooh, you manipulative bastard. She's letting you crawl all over her like the little worm you are.'_ "Ami-chan, will you come outside with me? I need to talk to you about something."

"Sure, but I have to use the bathroom first."

As soon as she closed the door Mina shot Zach a seething glare he accepted passively. "So what is it you think you know?" he asked.

"I think you're waiting for an opportunity to stick your cock in her," she hotly replied. "If you do that, you'll break her heart. And then I'll break you."

He nodded slowly. "I do fantasize about her, I'll admit that." Mina looked like she was about to punch his lights out. "But Ami's become much more than that to me. She's my muse. The last thing I want to do now is make her hate me."

Mina relaxed slightly, tilting her head back and narrowing her eyes in suspicion. "What do you mean she's your muse?"

"I mean I'm an artist and she inspires me. A lot, actually. I've been sketching her since the first day of school when I saw her in the library and I haven't been able to stop." He fished in his suitcase for a well-worn notebook, surrendering it for Mina's inspection. She opened the cover to find a portrait of Ami reading, one in which he managed to capture the voracious look in her eyes as she devoured knowledge.

"These are really good…" Mina begrudgingly admitted, turning the pages. More portraits of Ami's various expressions greeted her, including the one of her staring inquisitively from the pool. His fashion sketches featured her as the croquis, the early designs showcasing bold, edgy, modern styles Ami would never wear. As Mina continued flipping through the book the designs became classical and feminine, modest pieces with flowing fabric in cool hues. Then there were drawings of her as a faerie or mermaid with different types of wings and fins. Some were simple sketches and others had detailed backgrounds he'd taken time to shade or color. "I didn't know you could draw like this, Zach."

"Neither did I," he said quietly, looking down in a show of humility. "She did this to me. I need her, Mina."

"Are you in love with Ami?"

He swallowed. "I… I think so."

So much for dealing with her own romantic endeavors. "How does that work if she's convinced you're gay?"

"I have no fucking clue. I dug myself this hole and I have no idea how to climb out." Zach tightly gripped the blanket they sat on. "I'm not going to ask you to help me, but… fuck, I'll go crazy if things stay this way. She's so close to me yet so far out of reach."

Mina sighed and rolled her eyes. "You're a total dumbass for getting yourself into this position. I feel no sympathy for you." He accepted that stoically. "But I love Ami too and I want her to be happy. I've never seen her so… _glowing_ around another person, and I don't think she's ever had a male friend before. If you want to be more than that, you're going to have to tell her the truth. Ami appreciates integrity more than anything." Zach's head bobbed in acceptance. "If there's a real connection she'll forgive you. You'll have to bare your soul to earn her trust back, no secrets at all." Mina paused, smiling wryly. "If you do that, you might get to draw her like a French girl."

"Hah, good one." Zach sighed somewhat despondently, vowing to clear up the drama he'd caused. "So what's the deal with you and Kaelan? Are you out here because you fought or something?" Ami returned just then, leaning on the back of the couch and listing her head in that owlish manner.

"Um, well, I guess I can just tell you both…" Mina's blue eyes flicked between them several times. "Kaelan said he wants to marry me."

Both of their jaws dropped but Zach was the first to find words. "Holy shit, really? When was this?"

"While we were at Wailua Falls."

"Oh my god, Minako." That was as close as Ami came to spouting anything vulgar. "What did you tell him?"

"That I had to think about it. That's why I'm out here."

"Well, shit!" Zach chuckled. "If you love him then the answer is obvious!" He stopped when he noticed Mina's sullen countenance. "You _do_ love him, don't you?"

"I'm not sure," she said in a small voice. "I know I'm hurting him by not knowing. He probably thinks I'm running from him."

"It's not an easy thing to figure out," Ami said wisely. "Love comes in so many forms that one person's definition of it may differ from that of everyone else. But I think trust should always be the foundation for love, so as long as you have that…" She blushed and gave a slight shrug. "Well, what do I know? I've only read about it."

"Jesus, this got heavy. I need a drink." Zach withdrew a bottle of Eagle Rare single barrel bourbon from his luggage and raised it. "Here's to figuring out our shit." He took a long swig and passed it to Mina, who downed even more than him.

"Oh, that's pretty good." She drank again to actually savor it. "Yum. Nice job, America."

"It's from Ohio of all places," the boy explained. "I've been drinking this stuff since high school 'cause it's delicious and affordable." He wagged the bottle at Ami. "Want some?"

"Why not?" she grinned, feeling adventurous. She sipped tentatively, licking her lips afterward. "It tastes like… toasted caramel." Caramel was her favorite thing on the planet.

Zach didn't intend to get anyone tipsy but the three of them polished off the bottle in an hour since it was like drinking liquid candy. Ami fell asleep first with a rosy glow in her cheeks that reminded him of Snow White. Mina was next, nodding off with her phone in hand before she could finish a text to a friend back home. Zach found himself sandwiched between them and released a long sigh. Why did love have to be so complicated? Wouldn't it be better if Mina could keep fucking Kaelan without any emotions getting in the way? Wouldn't it be better for him if he could return to having meaningless sex with random strangers instead of pining after Ami?

"Thanks a lot, destiny…" he grumbled before dozing off.


End file.
